GEOLOGY. 117 
out taking them from the jar and could not discover any eyes. The 
specimens were about three lines in length. 
So now we have two more facts to add to the history of the 
blind fishes (though whether they apply to Amblyopsis or Typh- 
lichthys is not yet settled). First, that the young are born in 
October, and second, that they are without external eyes when 
born. —F. W. PUTNAM. 
GEOLOGY. 
GEOLOGY, ETC. IN CALIFORNIA.— At the regular meeting of the 
California Academy of Sciences Dec. 4th, Professor Whitney pre- 
sented a variety of fossils found in limestones one hundred miles 
east of Elko. He then read a paper descriptive of his labors in 
_ the projection of a topographical map of the State, and exhibited 
several proofs or specimen copies to the members. ‘They were 
most complete and elegantly engraved. He had commenced the 
publication of a volume on the geology of the State, and would 
probably compile three on the same topic. He also exhibited the 
first volume of the “ Birds of California,’ containing seven hun- 
dred illustrations. This, the first volume, was devoted to the land 
birds of the state. The “ Botany of California” was also in 
preparation. It is not to be illustrated. Salvador Morthange, 
consul-general of Belgium, was introduced to the Academy and 
read a highly interesting paper on White Island, in the bay of 
Plenty, New Zealand 
Professor Marsh, of Yale College, made a few remarks on his 
recent explorations. He had been out since June from New Haven, 
and had spent two months in collecting vertebrate fossils. He had 
discovered probably about fifty new species from the Miocene and 
Pliocene deposits, embracing a large variety of extinct reptiles. In 
Eastern Oregon he had made discoveries which would seem to clear 
up the geological puzzle in regard to the fresh water lakes ; and also 
a large number of fossil horses, some but two feet in height, and 
some of the two-toed type had been collected. 
Dr. Blake read a paper on the water of the “ Devil's Inkstand,” 
at the Geysers, which he found to contain a large quantity of 
ammoniacal salts. —R. E. C. S. 
ORIGIN of THE New ENGLAND GLACIER. — Professor Dana con- 
tributes an important article to the “ American Journal of Science’ 
