Geology and Mineralogy. 461 



tion with the United States Geological Survey ; George F. Kay, 

 State geologist. 18 plates, 7 tigs. Des Moines, 1912. — The lines 

 of investigation now being carried on by the Iowa Survey include : 

 a study of road materials under the direction of Dr. Beyer ; an 

 examination of the Aftonian gravels with their interesting mam- 

 malian fauna by Professor Shimek ; mapping of the Wisconsin 

 drift by Professor Carman ; steam gaging, topographic mapping 

 in cooperation with the Federal Survey, detailed geologic map- 

 ping and the preparation of physiographic monographs for edu- 

 cational purposes. The announcement is made that a volume by 

 Dr. Hay on the Pleistocene mammalian fossils of Iowa is nearing 

 completion. Volume XXI is almost wholly (pp. 31-1186) devoted 

 to Professor Norton's report on the Underground Water Resources 

 of Iowa. This paper (published also by the U. S. Geological 

 Survey as Water-Supply Paper No. 293) constitutes the most 

 thorough and extensive study dealing with a single state so far 

 published. Not only are the geologic principles governing 

 groundwater amply discussed, but with the aid of a large corps 

 of assistants, Professor Norton has made examinations of local 

 conditions to such an extent that districts, cities, and frequently 

 owners of individual farms are supplied with data directly appli- 

 cable to their needs. The appropriations for the Iowa Survey are 

 justified on the strength of this volume alone. h. e. g. 



5. Bureau of Economic Geology and Technology, Texas, 

 Wm. B. Phillips, Director. A Reconnaissance Report on the 

 Geology of the Oil and Gas Fields of Wichita and Clay Counties, 

 Texas, by J. A. Udden assisted by D. McN. Phillips. Pp. xiv, 

 308 ; 26 plates, 8 figs., map in pocket. Bull. Univ. Texas, No. 

 246, Sci. Ser. No. 23, September, 1912. — The geologic study of an 

 oil field involves minute description of local dips, careful deter- 

 mination of rock textures and composition, and exhaustive study 

 of drill cores, subjects to which the major part of the present 

 report is devoted. The bulletin also includes the results of the 

 Wichita formation based on extensive field observations. The 

 Wichita shales, the sandstones, conglomerates, the Beaver-burk 

 limestones, and the Bluff bone-bed are discussed in their strati- 

 graphic and structural aspects and lists of fossils are given. 



H. E. G. 



6. Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, Bidle- 

 tin XXV, Sci. Ser. No. 8, 1912. Sandstones of the Wisconsin 

 Coast of Lake Superior ; by Fredrik Turville Thwaites. 

 Pp. viii, 117 ; 23 plates, 10 text figs., map in pocket. — A study of 

 the bed rock geolog}^ along the shore of Lake Superior from 

 Duluth to Hurley has resulted in an increased amount of petro- 

 graphic structural detail, a modification of former views, and in 

 the production of a map based chiefly on lithologic characters. 

 The two large groups into which the red sandstones have been 

 divided are shown to be conformable, the upper (Bayfield group) 

 consisting of nearly horizontal quartz sandstone, and the lower 

 (Oronto group) being phases of a period of continuous or slightly 



