594 Scientific Intelligence. 



desirable for the process of removing tests by heat ; in fact, a 

 hard internal core which gives the best results has a grain of fine 

 and close texture. A grain that is coarse is found in the cores of 

 fossils from some of the Lower Oolites, when the rocks are truly 

 oolitic ; and such cores do not yield good muscle impressions, the 

 core being only too apt to crumble away with the test. A coarse- 

 grained core is found in fossils from some of the siliceous sands, 

 like the Greensand ; it may be coarse-grained and incoherent, so 

 that when the test is removed the whole core crumbles and 

 nothing remains. On the other hand, calcareous sands, and also 

 clays, often yield specimens (Brachiopods) with good cores of 

 close texture ; it does not follow that, because the external 

 matrix is soft and easily removable, the core will not be hard. 

 Such matters are only to be learned by experiment. Some speci- 

 mens explode when heated ; this has happened with some phos- 

 phatized fossils, and with Rhynchonellm from the white tufa of 

 Wtirttemberg. The loss among the latter from this cause was very 

 considerable ; but when the operation was successful the results 

 were very interesting ; the deep muscle-scars showing on the 

 cores as raised lumps near the umbo are striking features. 



Experience seems to show that in all cases the application of 

 heat should be steady and gentle. If too fierce a flame be used, 

 the tests do not seem to separate so readily from the core. 

 Perhaps this is due to some sort of fusion taking place. 



Thame, Oxon, England. 



6. Virginia Geological Survey ; Thomas L. Watson, 

 Director. Bulletin No. 1 V, The Physiography and Geology of 

 the Coastal Plain Province of Virginia; by W. B. Clark and 

 B. LeRoy Miller ; with chapters on the Lower Cretaceous by 

 Edw. W. Berry and the Economic Geology by T. L. Watson. 

 Pp. 274 ; plates I-XIX. Charlottesville, 1912. — Nearly twenty 

 years' study of the Virginia Coastal Plain by Professor Clark, 

 supplemented by detailed field work carried on in recent years by 

 Professor Miller and by investigations of Dr. Twitchell, Mr. 

 Berry, Mr. Vaughn, and others, has resulted in a very satisfactory 

 interpretation of the physiography and geology of this province. 

 Bulletin IV is, therefore, likely to become a standard reference 

 text for the study of surface features, structure and stratigraphy 

 of the entire Coastal Plains province from New York to Florida. 

 The present report contains a descriptive bibliography of papers 

 published between 1783 and 1911, a chapter on physiography 

 (pp. 13-59), chapters on geology, including numerous sections, 

 fossil lists, correlation and geological history of Cretaceous, Ter- 

 tiary and Quaternary (pp. 59-222), and a chapter on Economic 

 products (pp. 223-2(52). h. e. g. 



7. West Virginia Geological Survey ; by I. C. White, State 

 Geologist. Report on Jackson, Mason and Putnam Counties / 

 by Charles E. Krebs. 1911. Pp. xiv, 387 ; 3 maps, 31 plates, 

 5 sketches. Wheeling, 1911. — Consistent with the plan adopted 

 by the West Virginia Survey, particular attention has been given 



