BISCHOF ON PHOSPHORIC ACID IN LAVA. 47 
found at Grinsill near Shrewsbury in the upper new red. sandstone, 
which is probably the keuper. 
Among the trias formations of other parts of the earth, a deposit 
near the south-eastern extremity of Africa, described as ‘ New Red 
Sandstone,’ deserves notice. In it a genus of saurians, the Dicyno- 
don of Owen*, was found, which exhibits the closest alliance to the 
Rhynchosaurus of England. The connection of these two remarkable 
genera gives greater probability to the opinion that the sandstone in 
Africa containing Dicynodon is really triassic. | 
In North America, the sandstone exhibiting impressions of the 
feet of birds is also described as ‘New Red Sandstone ;’ and this 
extensive formation is thus to be conjoined with the trias. Real 
bones seem rarely to oceur in it. Hitchcock+ notices some bones 
from this sandstone near Ketch’s Mills, in the eastern part of East 
Windsor (Connecticut), and also casts of bones, which to judge by 
the description and the figures he has given, are of no value, and 
little adapted to impart any information regarding the animals to 
which they belonged, or the age of the rocks inclosing them. 
[J. N.] 
On the occurrence of PHospuoric Acip in Lava. By Gustav 
BiscHor. 
[Bulletin der Konig]. Akad. der Wissen. zur Munchen. Jahrgang, 1847, p. 158.] 
BERGEMANN has found in the lava of Niedermendig 1°8 per cent. of 
phosphoric acid, thus confirming the researches of Fownes, which 
had been called in question by Kersten and Elsner. He also states 
that the acid occurs in union with lime, or as apatite, although the 
quantitative analysis showed only traces of chlorine, but no fluorine. 
The apatite, irrespective of the chlorine, would amount to 3:95 per 
cent. The mineral is not, however, uniformly dispersed through the 
whole mass of the lava, but is entirely wanting in some parts, whilst 
in others, where it cannot be distinguished by the eye, it exists in 
great abundance. Its presence is the less remarkable, since in a 
volcanic bomb found on the side of lake Laach, and hence not far 
from the lava-stream of Niedermendig, very distinct apatite crystals 
were observed ; and since apatite is also known to occur im one of 
the lava-currents of Vesuvius, in the drusy cavities of a mixture of 
augite and mica. 
An indirect proof of the existence of phosphoric acid, not only 
im the Niedermendig lava, but generally in the basaltic and lava-like 
rocks forming the numerous summits in the environs of lake Laach, 
is furnished by the luxuriant growth of the trees on them. A rock, 
on which has grown since time immemorial an immense quantity of 
wood, chiefly beech, in whose ashes we find phosphates of lime, mag- 
nesia, peroxide of iron, protoxide of manganese, and alumina (10-1 
* Geol. Trans. 2nd ser. vol. vii. p. 59, tab. 
tT Final Rep. on Geol. of Mass. vol. ii. p. 503, tab. 49, figs. 66, 67, 68 ; tab. 46, 
figs. 69-71. 
