Geology and Mineralogy. 73 
the data in the hands of the Signal Service are summarized by 
Professor Mendenhall in a brief report, accompanied by a map of 
Tsoseismals, or lines of equal intensity, which show some curious 
deviations from uniformity. Science No. 199, Nov. 26, 1886, also 
contains a map of isoseismals and coseismals prepared for the 
Philosophical Society of Washington, by Edward Hayden, from 
data, mostlv correspondence, in the hands of the Geological Sur- 
vey up to October 23. The isoseismals of this map are consider- 
ably more irregular than those given by Mendenhall, although 
the two maps agree in the general form of the curves. They 
suggest some interesting relations with the geology of the 
country which it is yet too early to enlarge upon. They indicate 
however a focus or epicentrum lying somewhat north of Charles- 
ton. During September, Science also published copies from some 
of the photographs brought home by McGee. 
The earthquake did not consist of a single isolated shock, but 
the great shock of August 31 was preceded by perceptible 
tremors on the 27th and 28th and bas been followed by almost 
daily shocks, mostly of minor intensity, even up to the date of 
this writing, one being reported in to-day’s paper. C) GR. 
Princeton, N. J., Nov. 30, 1886. 
2. Naturally Reduced Iron ; by J. B. Tyree t, of the Geo- 
logical Survey of Canada. (Communicated to this Journal).— 
On the North Saskatchewan River, about seventy miles above 
the town of Edmonton, in the district of Alberta, in rocks of 
Laramie age, an almost horizontal bed of lignite may be seen 
cropping out at intervals in the river-bank for several miles, over- 
laid by dark gray clay-shales and gray and yellow soft argillaceous 
sandstones containing nodules of clay ironstone. Although none 
of the nodules from this particular locality have been analyzed, 
similar ones from Edmonton, obtained from beds of the same 
formation, were found to be essentially carbonates of iron contain- 
ing 34°98 per cent of the metallic iron. 
The seam of lignite has been completely burned out over a con- 
siderable area, leaving the surface covered with a bed of debris of 
ashes, clinkers and burnt clay, in places to a thickness of twenty 
feet, supporting at presentia thick growth of grass and under- 
brush. From this mass of burnt clay and cinders pieces of 
metallic iron can be readily picked out, weighing, in some cases, as 
much as fifteen or twenty pounds, doubtless derived from the 
nodules of ironstone mentioned above, which had been reduced to 
the metallic state by the heat caused by the burning of so large a 
body of lignite. 
Most of the pieces of iron observed were very much rusted and 
fell to pieces readily on being struck with the hammer, though 
when scratched with a file they everywhere showed a bright 
surface. 
Ottawa, Dec. 11th, 1886. 
3. A Partial Report of the Geo of Western Texas ; con- 
sisting of a general geological report, and a journal of geologi- 
