74 Geological Society. 



surmised for several years ; but, owing to the scarcity of fossils, they 

 have not been correlated with any of the Asiatic formations. An 

 examination of the Echinodermata collected by the Rev. F. W. Hol- 

 land from the limestones of Wady Mokatteb and Wady Badera has 

 enabled Dr. Duncan to show their parallelism with the red lime- 

 stones in South-eastern Arabia, the fossils from which he described 

 in a former paper. All the species now determined are well-known 

 forms, characteristic of the typical Upper Greensand of Europe ; 

 but those formerly described from Sinai by MM. Desor and D'Or- 

 bigny seem to be peculiar to that region. The author observed that 

 by adding the Echinodermata from Sinai to those from South-east 

 Arabia, we obtain a fauna eminently characteristic of the Middle 

 Cretaceous period ; and in conclusion he drew attention to the 

 interesting fact that the majority of the wide-wandering Echinoderms 

 had a tendency to vary from their types both in Europe and in 

 Arabia, while the rest remained persistent in form. 



2. " Geological Description of the First Cataract, Upper Egypt." 

 By J. C. Hawkshaw, Esq., F.G.S. 



At the First Cataract the Nile flows over crystalline rocks consist- 

 ing principally of quartz, felspar, and hornblende, combined in 

 various proportions, and there appearing under the forms of syenite, 

 greenstone, hornblende, and mica-schists, or else occurring in sepa- 

 rate masses. In the bed of the river the surface of the harder por- 

 tions of these rocks is beautifully polished. The whole district is 

 traversed by dykes of greenstone, of which the prevailing direction 

 is E. and W. 



The crystalline rocks forming the bed of the river are overlain by 

 a sandstone, sometimes coarse and gritty, and at other times fine- 

 grained and compact. The prevailing colour is light yellow ; but in 

 places ft is dark purple, and even black, owing to the presence of 

 iron. As yet no organic remains have been discovered in it. This 

 sandstone rests on the uneven surface of the syenite in slightly 

 inclined strata, dipping N.N.E. It is nowhere altered at its junction 

 with the syenite, nor is it anywhere penetrated by dykes. 



To the eastward^of the First Cataract is a wide valley, commencing 

 opposite the Island of Phila?, and joining the Nile valley again about 

 three miles below Assouan. Through this valley the Nile may 

 have formerly flowed, as freshwater shells and deposits of Nile-mud 

 are found at a considerable height above the present level of the 

 river. 



To the westward of the First Cataract the crystalline rocks dis- 

 appear below the sandstone, and the country is almost entirely 

 covered with sand of a rich yellow colour, composed of fine rounded 

 grains of quartz. 



3. " On the Drift of the North of England." By J. Curry, Esq. 



Having first given a general sketch of the district under considera- 

 tion, and noticed the various rock-formations occurring therein, the 

 author described in detail the distribution of the drift, showing that 

 the prevailing direction in which it had been carried was from north- 

 west to south-east, with certain variations, dependent upon the con- 



