396 Scientific Intelligence. 



3. Chemical Survey of the Waters of Illinois ; by A. W. Palmer, 

 243 pp. 52 pis. — The factors which make for and against a satis- 

 factory water supply of a state and the relation of geologic struc- 

 ture to these factors are emphasized by the recent report of the 

 Illinois Water Survey. A study has been made of the sanitary 

 condition of the waters of lakes, streams, and wells, as shown by 

 460 analysis. Particular attention has been devoted to the Illinois 

 River during 1897-1902, and it has been found that the waters of 

 that stream, where they enter the Mississippi, contain less organic 

 matter than previous to the construction of the Chicago Sanitary 

 Canal. A chapter on the Geology of Illinois as related to its 

 water supply is written by Professor Rolfe. 



4. Submerged Tributary of the St. Lawrence. — In the Transac- 

 tions of the Royal Society of Canada, vol. ix, Section iv, pp. 143- 

 147, H. S. Poole publishes a chart and description of an ancient 

 river system with headwaters in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, and 

 receiving important tributaries from Prince Edward, Magdalen, 

 and Cape Breton Islands. The river follows closely the ridges 

 of hard rock near shore, and submerged mounds suggest a con- 

 tinuation seaward of the Carboniferous coast terrace. The pres- 

 ence of this river maintaining its characteristic features through 

 several sub-cycles is sufficient to account for the absence east of 

 Pictou and along Cape Breton of the softer members of the Car- 

 boniferous series, without assuming fault boundaries. 



5. Sands and Sediments ; by T. Mellard Reade and Philip 

 Holland (Proc. Liverpool Geol. Soc, 1903-04, pp. 3-20).— An 

 investigation has been begun to find out whether there exists any 

 relation between the size of the particles or grains of sand and 

 their chemical constituents ; also the degree of minuteness to 

 which particles can be ultimately reduced by natural agencies, 

 and how T , and in what way this takes place. These investigations, 

 when completed, will indicate in some degree how far purely 

 mechanical sediments may be carried out and deposited in the 

 ocean. An inquiry is also being made into the question of the 

 origin of limestone by the deposition of infinitesimal particles 

 carried out from the land. The investigations so far give "hints 

 of the possibility of deep-sea limestone being formed in an inor- 

 ganic way." 



6. Palceontologia Universalis. — The writer desires to call the 

 attention of American Geologists to the fact that this very impor- 

 tant work has but 21 subscribers in the United States, while France 

 has 63 and Germany 96. Certainly the geologists and geological 

 libraries of this country are not yet supplied with this publica- 

 tion. Fasciculi I and II have been issued; these contain 97 sheets 

 redescribing and refiguring 46 of the old and little known species. 



It is intended to issue annually from 150 to 160 sheets, treating 

 of about 80 species. The annual subcription price is $8.00. Sub- 

 criptions may be sent to G. E. Stechert, No. 9 East 16th street, 

 New York City. Those persons or institutions desiring further 

 information regarding this work, with samples of the plates, will 



