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1885. ] Geology and Faleontology. 1087 
Asia.— Asiatic News.—Sibiriakoff, the friend and patron of Nor- 
denskjold, during the summer of 1884 ascended the Petchora to 
Oromets, then crossed the Ural to the Sigva or Whitefish river, 
which flows in the Sosva affluent of the Obi, and reached Shiku- 
rik Sept. 2. The journey demonstrates that a trade route is open 
in this direction in summer. Cols. Lockhart and Woodthorpe 
have been despatched with a party to Gilghit, and it is intended 
that full surveys of the region lying to the north-west of Kashmir 
shall be executed. Several passes of no great difficulty here lead 
towards the Russian possessions, which approach closely. 
Colonel Woodthorpe has just completed a journey through the 
Singpho country. He penetrated into the land of the Bor 
Khamptis on the northern Irawadi, where no traveler is believed 
to have been since Lieutenant Wilcox’s tour in 1828. Several 
mines lie north-east of Pedan, the capital, and are worked by an 
inferior and half-subject race called Khanungs. The Irawadi is 
unnavigable at Pedan. The journeys of Dr. Neis in Central 
aos (more than 3000 miles) have resulted in a vast amount of 
information regarding the commercial routes of the western 
basin of the Mekong, the anthropology and ethnology of the 
Laos and the Khas, and the social, commercial and political con- 
dition of the regions visited. 
Europe.—- European News.— Recent examination of bench 
marks made in 1851 along the Swedish coast of the Baltic show 
that the movement of elevation was continued in the north, and 
that of depression in the south of the Scandinavian peninsula. 
Compared with previous observations, the results prove that since 
1750 the head of the Gulf of Bothnia has risen 2.10 meters. 
About Calmar and Carlscrona no change of level could be detect- 
ed, but the general result is an elevation of the Swedish coast at 
e mean rate of 1.60 meter per century. Four arctic expedi- 
tions are said to be projected for next year. Holland will send 
one, Denmark one and Portugal, newly awakened, it would 
appear, to the love of discovery, will send two. All propose to 
Visit the Russian islands of the glacial ocean, but the Danish 
expedition will specially explore the Kara sea, to define as far 
as possible the unknown region which is supposed to lie to the 
north-east of Novaya Zemlya.—The captains of several Norwe- 
gian steamers despatched to Greenland for seal-hunting, report 
that the east and south coasts are so obstructed by ice that no 
Seals have been killed. The population of Iceland in 1880 was 
72,445, all of whom were Lutherans, except 3 Mormons, 1 Catho- 
lic, 1 Unitarian, 1 Methodist and 3 of no religion in particular. 
GEOLOGY AND PALAONTOLOGY. 
ON THE PRESENCE OF ZONES OF CERTAIN SILICATES ABOUT 
THE OLIVINE OCCURRING IN ANORTHOSITE ROCKS FROM THE 
River Sacuenay.—While engaged during the summer of 1884 
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