244. Scientific Intelligence. 



Sardinia. The depth of water between Africa and Sicily is now 

 about 200 fathoms. 



This theory of making dry passage-ways over the Mediter- 

 ranean bottom and lakes of the salt sea requires elevation only 

 at Gibraltar. The relations between the present salt-water life of 

 the sea and that of Glacial and pre-Glacial time, found fossil in 

 shore-deposits and elevated beds, ought to decide its merits. 



3. Union Group, Pacific Ocean. — In an article on the compo- 

 sition of some coral limestones, etc. from the South Sea Islands, 

 by A. Liversidge, published in the Journal of the Royal Society 

 of New South Wales for 1880, p. 181, one of the specimens 

 analyzed is stated to have been brought by Dr. Messer, R. N. of 

 H. M. S. Pearl, from a raised reef on the Duke of York Island, 

 one of the Union Group, at a height of 110 feet above the sea- 

 level. There is an error here, for the Duke of York Island is a 

 low atoll, and so are the others of the Union Group, the greatest 

 elevation being 14 or 15 feet. 



The analysis afforded 1*97 per cent of alumina (with traces of 

 iron sesquioxide) and 0*789 of silica, and the amount of alumina 

 suggests that the coral-reef rock may have come from some one 

 of the barrier-islands of the ocean. The whole analysis is as 

 follows : Carbonic acid 4T68, lime 52*09, magnesia 0*86, potash 

 0*98, soda - 85, alumina and traces of iron sesquioxide 1*97, 

 manganese trace, silica 0*79, organic matter 0*50, chlorine trace, 

 hygroscopic moisture # 02 = 99'75. j. d. d. 



4. Spiraxis major and Sp. Randalli of Neicberry • large 

 Screic-MTce fossils from the Chemung group of Northern Pennsyl- 

 vania and Southern New York. — These singular fossils are 

 described and figured by Dr. J. S. Newberry in the Annals of 

 the N. Y. Academy of Sciences, vol. iii, no. 7, p. 217. They are 

 three to seven inches long, tapering slightly in either direction 

 from the middle, half an inch to over an inch in greatest diameter, 

 and are marked with a broad and deep spiral groove. Bat they 

 are without any trace of organic structure, and Dr. Newberry de- 

 scribes the specimens and mentions possible biological relations, 

 without venturing any decided opinion. 



5. Geological Map of the United States ; by W. J. McGee, of 

 the U. S. Geological Survey. — This map, although a small one 

 (18X28 inches), will be found of great valne to the geological stu- 

 dent. It has been carefully prepared and is colored in the best 

 style of the art. 



6. Macfar lane's Geologiccd Railway Guide. — Dr. James Mac- 

 farlane is preparing anew edition of his valuable Geological Rail- 

 way Guide, corrected to correspond with the recent discoveries, 

 which will soon be published by Appleton & Co. The part for 

 Canada has already been issued. 



7. Impact Friction and Faulting ; by George F. Becker.: — 

 The following misprints occur in the portion of this article which 

 appeared in the August number : 



