10 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DeC. 4, 



Eckel. The study of this collection completes that of the Fossil 

 Corals of the West-Indian Islands, so far as I am concerned ; and I 

 have therefore added to the description of the new species some 

 corrections of errors which had been made through inexperience ; 

 and the synonymy of the species has been appended also. 



The tabular statements will be found to prove that the alliances 

 of the ]^Iiocene West-Indian Coral-fauna are as they were stated 

 to be in my first communication in 1862. 



The additions to the Coral-faunae of San Domingo, Jamaica, and 

 Antigua, which are recorded in this communication, are interesting ; 

 for the Eocene facies of the Jamaican early Tertiary corals becomes 

 more decided, and the Miocene affinities of the San Domingan and 

 Antiguan series are extended. The coiomonest of the HeliastrcBCB 

 of the Antiguan marl* has been discovered in the Miocene deposit 

 at Madeira ; and this relic of the former coral-sea brings the Faluns 

 and the Spanish Tertiaries all the nearer to the Caribbean. Professor 

 Eeusst has enabled me to recognize a species from the Miocene of 

 Java among the Antiguan collection in the British Museum, and he 

 states that a tabulate Coral, a PocilloporaT from Java, is closely 

 allied to the form described from the Mvaje Shale of San Domingo. 



2. SJcetch of the Geology of Trinidad. — Trinidad does not appear 

 to have the succession of its strata so grandly simple as Jamaica ; 

 and its continental relations are distinct and evident. In Jamaica the 

 metamorphosed and igneous rocks form the base of the stratified series 

 (in the typical section §), and the lowest strata are limestones, whose 

 fossils are principally Hippurites and Madreporaria. The Eocene con- 

 glomerates and shales succeed, and are covered with the shales, sands, 

 and marls which yielded the corals described in 1864. These Mio- 

 cene strata are covered, in some places conformably, and in others 

 uu conformably, by a great white limestone, through which gTanite is 

 intruded. There are no beds indicating luxuriant vegetation amongst 

 these Miocene strata, nor have any freshwater deposits been de- 

 scribed. From the simplicity of the formation of Jamaica, it is to be 

 regretted that it was not surveyed before Trinidad. The opinion 

 that Trinidad would be a typical island, and that the Antilles gene- 

 rally could be compared with it, was incorrect ; and the deficiency of 

 a good trigonometrical survey, of natural sections, and of organic 

 remains has rendered the laborious survey of Wall and Sawkins|| 

 more interesting in an economic than in a purely scientific sense. 



The nomenclature adopted in the description of the geology of 

 Trinidad is of no value when the other islands are considered, but it 

 refers admirably to the mainland. 



* Heliastrma crassolamellata, Duncan, var. pulcheUa. 



t ' Ueber fossile KoraUen von der Insel Java,' 1867. The species is Favoidea 

 Junghuhni, Eeuss. 



% Focillojpora JenJcinsi, Eeuss. I believe it to be a variety of my Pocillopora 

 crassoraraosa, from San Domingo. 



§ Duncan and "Wall, Quart. Journ. Greol. Soc. vol. xxi. p. 1 : see section 

 through Upper Clarendon, p. 4. 



jl " Eeport on the G-eology of Trinidad," by Wall and Sawkins — a pains- 

 taking book, proving the difficulties of colonial work. 



