268 Chronicles of Science. [April, 



The last paper we have to notice is a very short one by Pro- 

 fessor W. C. Williamson, " On a Cheirotherian Footprint from 

 the Base of the Keuper Sandstone of Daresbury, Cheshire," 

 which is of more importance than its title indicates, as the foot- 

 print is more Cheirotherioid than Cheirotherian, and is " distinctly 

 that of a scaly animal." The following conclusion is also at 

 variance with the title : — " Had. the impression not exhibited the 

 scaly structure, it would probably have been described as 

 ' Cheirotherian,' but I do not believe that it belonged to a 

 Batrachian animal. It is Saurian, if not Crocodilean, in every 

 feature, and as such, constitutes an interesting addition to the 

 palaeontology of the English Keuper." 



We are sorry to be obliged again to chronicle the death of two 

 eminent geologists, namely, Mr. James Smith, of Jordan Hill, 

 F.K.S., F.G-.S., &c, a very old and eminent explorer of Post- 

 pliocene or Quaternary deposits ; and Professor J. A. E. Deslong- 

 champs, of Caen, a Foreign member of the Geological Society, and 

 one of the foremost of French palaeontologists ; both of whom have 

 become lost to us after a long life of devotion to our science. It is 

 with different feelings that we record the untimely death of Mr. 

 F. J. Foot, M.A., &c, in an effort to save the lives of two persons 

 from drowning. Mr. Foot was on the staff of the Geological 

 Survey of Ireland, and was a very promising and active botanist 

 and geologist. 



The Council of the Geological Society have awarded the 

 Wollaston gold medal to G. Poulett Scrope, Esq., M.P., F.K.S., 

 F.G.S., &c, in recognition of the highly important services he has 

 rendered to geology by his examination and published descriptions 

 of the volcanic phenomena of central France, and by his works on 

 the subject of volcanic action generally throughout the world ; and 

 the balance of the proceeds of the Wollaston Donation Fund to 

 Mr. W. H. Baily, F.G.S., to assist him in the preparation and 

 publication of an illustrated catalogue of British Fossils. 



10. MINING. 



The continued state of extreme depression which prevails in the 

 mining districts renders our chronicle a sad one. In Cornwall and 

 Devonshire more than half of the mines — that is, nearly 300 — are 

 now idle, which were in active operation a few years since. Careful 

 examinations made in each of the mining districts of south-western 

 England enables us to give the following list, as a very close approxi- 

 mation, to the real numbers of the miners who have emigrated. 



