156 . Scientific Intelligence. 



It is added that in the paper on liquid hydrogen, already referred 

 to, the temperatures obtained by the hydrogen gas thermometer 

 for the boiling point of hydrogen and the solid under exhaustion 

 were ]9°'63 and J4 0, 34 respectively. Finally it is concluded that, 

 "at as low a temperature as 6° absolute, the sensibility of this 

 couple is still half what it was at 20^° absolute, and therefore 

 that, unless some absolute breakdown in the law connecting elec- 

 tromotive force and temperature below 14° takes place, it must 

 continue to be an excellent thermometer, and will record temper- 

 rature with considerable accuracy down to the boiling point of 

 helium, which is about 5° or 6° degrees absolute." 



II. Geology. 



1. Geology of the Vicinity of Little Falls, Herkimer County ; 

 by H P. Cushing. Bull. 77, New York State Mus., 1905, pp. 

 95, pis. 1-15, and topographic and geologic maps.— Mr. dishing 

 here gives an account of the geology of one of the most inter- 

 esting regions in New York. In this presentation he does not 

 limit himself to the area of his map, but notes as well the general 

 geology of the Adirondack region, thus setting forth in a philo- 

 sophical manner the historical events which have taken place in 

 northeastern New York. 



The author states that the Adirondacks formed a low-lying 

 land when the Potsdam sea encroached upon it. " It is possible 

 that a small area may have persisted above sea level throughout 

 [to the close of Utica time], though it is not likely, and in any 

 case it was very small." The southern part of the Adirondack 

 mass was the last to pass beneath the sea. The Potsdam is 

 thickest on the northeast border, thinning out both westward and 

 southward ; it is not known on the south side about Little Falls. 

 Upon the Potsdam along the eastern side was laid the Beekman- 

 town limestone, but, according to the reviewer, it is questionable 

 whether the so-called Beekmantown of the southern exposure is 

 of the same age. These southern dolomites are 450 feet thick at 

 Little Falls, but diminish to " nearly or quite zero at the northern 

 limit of the sheet." Upon this formation in both areas follow 

 the limestones of the Mohawkian series and then the Utica 

 shales. At the top of the Utica " the present Adirondack region 

 was either wholly submerged or else so nearly so that only a few 

 small islands were left protruding above the water." This is not 

 the generally accepted view and the occurrence of Potsdam 

 within the Adirondack mass will have to be explained as 

 depressed fault-blocks. 



" Following the deposition of the Utica formation came a 

 movement of disturbance and uplift of the region on the north- 

 east and east. This apparently raised the present Champlain 

 valley and northern Adirondack region above sea level, while the 

 southern portion was not affected and remained submerged. . . . 



" Quite possibly the first faulting of the region took place at 

 the close of the Lower Silurian coincidentlv with the Taconic 



