Geology and Paleontology. 243 
accumulates below the frozen crust, until its elasticity becomes suffi- 
cient to burst it; hence the explosion, the shock, and the cracks in 
the ground. 
At the outburst in 1883 several of these cracks could be seen 
radiating from a central point in a field and extending to different 
distances. One of the spectators says these clefts divided the field 
into half or quarter-acre pieces. Similar results followed the late 
explosion. I have not seen the place since, but learn that the fis- 
_< very soon closed, or were filled up in consequence of a rapid 
thaw. 
“One peculiar feature is that while former disturbances rent 
greater fissures and were accompanied by much greater damage to 
property than the recent ones, yet, so far as is known, none of the 
former explosions was heard or felt in this city.” 
It would be interesting to inquire if any similar events are on 
record elsewhere in regions yielding natural gas. Perhaps this 
note may be the means of calling out such cases if they exist. 
It may at first sight appear as if so powerful explosions and 
ocks must indicate natural gas in considerable quantity. But 
when we reflect that the pressure in a well of small yield rapidly 
rises to a high figure when the bore-hole is closed, we see that such 
an inference is not safe. No other indications of gas are yet known 
in the immediate neighborhood, as would probably be the case if a 
supply were accessible.— EH. W. Claypole. 
GEOLOGICAL NEws.—PRIMORDIAL.—It is stated that vestiges 
of the primordial fauna, hitherto unknown in France, haye been 
discovered by M. Bergeron in the Black mountain (la Montagne 
oire) of Herault. Conocoryphe and Paradoxides are represented 
by fine examples. 
Devontan.—Mr. A. S. Woodward (P. Z. 8., 1887) notes the 
presence of a canal-system, evidently sensory, in the shields of 
Pteraspidians, He believes these to representa “ lateral-line” system. 
B. Stiirtz (Palwontographiea, Band 32) describes several new 
coninodernis from the middle strata of the Lower Devonian upon 
r e Rhine. Ophiurella primigenia, Furcaster palæozoicus, Bun- 
enbachia beneckei, and B. grandis are the new Ophiuroids and 
related forms described ; the star-fishes include an Astropecten, 
alastropecten and Eoluidia, a Loriolaster and a Palasteriscus. 
Gas A. Penecke has contributed to the Zeitschrift der Deutschen - 
th logischen Gessellschaft for 1887 an account of the fauna and 
e age of some palseozoic coral reefs in the eastern Alps. 
He J. Walker discusses the structure of Crinoids, with special 
erence to the species found in the Solenhofer slates and the 
