158 Geological Society, 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 [Continued from vol. xxix. p. 551.] 

 May 10, 1865.— W. J. Hamilton, Esq., President, in the Chair. 

 The following communications were read : — 



1. " On the .Azoic and Palseozoic Rocks of Southern New Bruns- 

 wick." By G. F. Matthew, Esq. 



After briefly narrating the History of the Geology of the Region, 

 the author described each of the formations successively in detail ; 

 namely, the Laurentian (Portland series), Huronian (Coldbrook 

 group), Lower Silurian (St. John group), Upper Silurian, Middle 

 and Upper Devonian (including the Bloomsbury group, Little River 

 group, and Mispeck group), Lower Carboniferous, and Carboni- 

 ferous. The only important hiatus, therefore, is that wherein the 

 Trenton limestones and Hudson River shales should fall ; and 

 those formations probably form part of the Lower Silurian rocks 

 already known. Mr. Matthew then stated that it is now a well- 

 established fact that thioughout Palseozoic time the centre of the 

 North American continent was comparatively stable, the whole series 

 of formations being found in continuous and conformable succession, 

 from the base of the Silurian to the summit of the Permian. 



The stratigraphical peculiarities of the several formations, in 

 regard to their mutual relations, were next described ; and the author 

 inferred the existence of at least three breaks, and possibly a fourth 

 (between the two sections of the Carboniferous system), in the 

 Palaeozoic series of Acadia — namely, between the Huronian and 

 the Silurian, between the Lower and Upper Silurian, and between 

 the ** Middle and Upper Devonian" and the " Lower Devonian and 

 Upper Silurian." 



2. " Results of Geological Observations in Baden and Franconia." 

 By Dr. F. Sandberger, For. Corr. G.S. 



In this paper Dr. Sandberger communicated the results he has ar- 

 rived at by the study of the Palseozoic, Triassic, and Jurassic Beds of 

 Baden and Franconia. The so-called '* transition formation" of the 

 Black Forest he had previously ascertained to be Lower Carboni- 

 ferous ; it is immediately succeeded by the strata of Berghaupten 

 near Offenberg, which also occur in Alsace. Near Oppenau occurs 

 a species of Fterophyllum 3 feet long, which affords a new proof of 

 the close connexion between the Triassic and Palseozoic floras ; and 

 to this fact may be added the discovery of a true Schizopteris in the 

 Letten-coal near Wiirzburg. This connexion Dr. Sandberger also 

 considers more perceptible in the fauna than has hitherto been sup- 

 posed. 



The Wellenkalk, Muschelkalk, and Letten-coal appear better 

 developed in Franconia than elsewhere in Germany, and the clear- 

 ness of the stratification leaves no doubt about the order of succes- 



