420 Scientific Intelligence. 



of 1921 ; this is based practically on the fact that the physio- 

 logical effects at altitudes of 26,000 and above were found to be 

 less serious than anticipated. 



Dr. A. M. Herron has given the results of the examination of 

 rock specimens collected at heights from 23,000 to 27,000 feet. 

 The conclusion is reached that "Mount Everest is a pile of 

 altered sedimentary rocks — shales and limestones — converted 

 into banded hornfels, finely foliated calc-silicate schists, and 

 crystalline limestones. The hornfels and fine schists are in the 

 field blackish or dark green rocks, conspicuously slabby and with 

 a general low dip to the north, which, I believe, adversedly 

 and even dangerously affected climbing. The crystalline lime- 

 stones are fine-grained pure white rocks. The specimens from 

 23,000 and 25,000 feet show in microscope sections a very fine- 

 grained aggregate of quartz and a greenish mica, with irregular 

 lenticles and veins of chlorite and epidote, and in addition 

 sometimes calcite pyrites and sphene. 



"The mountain, from 21,000 to 27,000 feet, is made up of these 

 black and dark green rocks, with occasional beds of white lime- 

 stone, and veins of quartz and muscovite granite. From 27,000 

 to 27,500 feet extends an almost horizontal belt, a sill in fact, 

 of schorl muscovite granite, along the whole length of the 

 mountain, which rock presumably, by its superior hardness, 

 gives rise to the prominent shoulder of the mountain north-east 

 of the main peak (shown as 27,390 on Major Wheeler's photo- 

 graphic survey map). Above this again are black schists. 

 Captain Finch informs me that he saw ammonites at a height 

 of about 26,500 feet, but was unable to collect them. 



"As to the age of the rocks forming Mount Everest, they may 

 perhaps be assumed, for the present, to be Jurassic or Trias." 

 London Geological Journal, September, 1922, pp. 219, 220 ; 

 see also July, pp. 67-71, August, pp. 141-144 and October, pp. 

 288-^91, with fifteen beautiful reproductions from photographs. 



6. A newly Found Tennessee Meteoric Iron; by G. P. 

 Merrill (communicated). — State Geologist William A. Nelson 

 has forwarded to the U. S. National Museum a mass of meteoric 

 iron recently found by Messrs. CD. McKnight and M. W. Spen- 

 cer while working on the roadway leading from Savannah to 

 Cerro Gordo, some four miles northeast of the first named town 

 in Hardin county, Tennessee. The mass is 18 inches in length, 

 roughly dumb-bell shaped and weighs 132 lbs. It is an octahe- 

 drite in crystallization and much weathered, undoubtedly repre- 

 senting an old fall. A cast will be made of it, after which it will 

 be cut and analyzed a portion being retained at the National 

 Museum and a portion returned for the State collection at 

 Nashville. 



7. Minor Faulting in the Cayuga Lake Region; by E. T. 

 Long. — The following corrections should be made in the above 

 article in the number for April (pp. 229-248). 



