162 Scientific Intelligence. 



80 and 90 feet. That at Ocean Beach, Monmouth County, 

 about 400 feet from the ocean, is 485 feet deep, is 3 inches in 

 diameter inside of the wrought iron casing pipe, and soon after 

 completion yielded 36,000 gallons a day ; that at Lakewood is 

 475 feet deep. The Lakewood water contains but 6^ grains of 

 solid matter to the gallon. 



An artesian well at Newark went down through 110 feet of 

 earth and 505 feet of red sandstone ; the bore was 8 inches in 

 diameter and the daily yield 800,000 gallons ; the temperature 

 55^° F. The amount of mineral matter is about 150 grains to 

 the gallon, over two-thirds of which is calcium sulphate (gypsum). 

 An analysis, made in 1879, afforded sodium sulphate 15"94, mag- 

 nesium sulphate 25*87, calcium sulphate 106*98, magnesium car- 

 bonate 1*55, sodium chloride 2*47 = 152-81. In a trial in 1882 

 the amount of solid matter was found to be 151*79 grains per 

 gallon, and in 1884 148*83 grains. 



The above are a few of the facts to be found in the Report. 



5. Contributions to the Knowledge of the Older Mesozoic Flora 

 of Virginia, by W. M. Fontaine. 144 pp. 4to, with 54 plates. 

 Washington, 1883. IT. S. Geological Survey. (Received in June, 

 1885.) — Professor Fontaine, after a brief review of the beds in 

 Virginia, describes the fossil plants in detail. His specimens were 

 obtained from different openings on the Richmond belt, and 

 from the Cumberland belt, about 30 miles west of the former. 

 The plants were found in the layers of shale and sandstone 

 adjoining the coal beds, — not far from the middle of the sandstone 

 formation. In the Richmond belt there appear to be 500 to 600 

 feet of sandstone above and below the coal beds. 



Forty-two species are described and figured. Half of them 

 have no distinct relations to European species. Of the rest, twelve 

 are decidedly Rhsetic in their relations, and four identical with 

 Rhsetic species, while only four are Triassic in character and three 

 of these are as closely Rhsetic. Besides, eight have Jurassic rela- 

 tions. Professor Fontaine concludes, therefore, that the beds are 

 probably of Rhsetic age rather than Triassic, that is, of the epoch 

 between the Triassic and the Lias. The descriptions and figures 

 of the plants of the North Carolina Mesozoic described by Pro- 

 fessor Emmons are reproduced in the volume and compared with 

 those from Virginia. Professor Emmons's specimens were sought 

 for without success. Of the thirty-nine species identified, fifteen 

 are also Virginia species, and they point to the same age for the 

 beds. The Cycad genus Ctenophyllum, of which there are four 

 species, is highly characteristic of the Rhaatic Lias. The genera 

 Acrosticides, Laccopteris, Cycadites, Podozamites also are Rhsetic, 

 or Rhsetic and Jurassic. The North Carolina fauna is much 

 richer than the Virginian in Conifers ; but this is attributed to 

 drier conditions of growth and not to actual difference in flora. 



This new volume from the U. S. Geological Survey is a worthy 

 successor to the excellent Reports which have preceded it. 



