218 The American Naturalist. [March, 



Mesozoic. — In examining the microscopic structure of the flint 

 nodules found in the Lower Cretaceous of Texas near Austin, Mr. J. A. 

 Merrill found traces of the following organisms : Foraminifera, sponges, 

 molluscs represented by the nacreous tissue of the shells, and fishes re- 

 presented by their scales. The fact that the delicate spines of the 

 sponge spicules, even to the most minute barb are perfectly preserved, 

 showing no trace of having been subjected to mechanical movement, 

 leads to the conclusion, that these flints result from the continuous 

 growth of sponges in situ. Mr. Merrill's study then confirms to this 

 extent the view taken by Prof. Sollas in his study of the nodules of the 

 English flint. (Bull. Harvard, Mus. Comp. Zool., Vol. XXVIII, 

 1895.) 



Cekozoic— Mr. G. H. Ashley's studies of the Coast Range Mts. of 

 California lead him to the conclusion that the east and west ranges of 

 Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties were elevated at 

 about the end of the Miocene, while the ranges to the north with a uni- 

 form strike of northwest and southeast were elevated at or near the end 

 of the Pliocene. (Geol. Mag., Vol. Ill, 1895.) 



Mr. A. M. Edwards reports Cenozoic clay containing marine forms 

 of diatomacete from Rockaway, Long Island. The clay deposit is dark 

 green or grey in color, and is capped by a fresh water deposit of white 

 clay. (Observer, Dec, 1895.) 



Prof. H. L. Fairchild enumerates eight reasons for regarding the 

 Piunacles Hills, near Rochester, N. Y. as a kame series forming a part 

 of a frontal moraine. This is contrary to the views of Upham who 

 considers that they were deposited " in the ice-walled channel of a 

 stream of water," " open to the sky." (Amer. Geol., Vol. XVI, 1895.) 



BOTANY. 1 



A recent paper on the relation between the Ascomycetes 

 and Basidiomycetes. 2 — In the October number of the Revue Myco- 

 logique under the heading " A Fungus simultaneously an Ascomycete 

 and Basidiomycete " appears a resume by R. Ferry of a portion of 



1 Edited by Prof. C. E. Bessey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska. 



'Read before the Botanical Sen inar of tl e L'niv, r-ity ■ i Nebraska, Dec. 21, 



