546 General Notes.’ [June, 
THE REport oF THE Concress oF GEoLocists!—This publica- 
tion includes a. report of the proceedings of the congress and 
reports of the several committees appointed to present systems of 
nomenclature and cartography by the Congress of Bologna. 
These reports are highly interesting, and display, in an instructive 
manner, the points of agreement and divergence between the 
geologists of the different countries of Europe. The digested re- 
sult will constitute, when completed, the most valuable synopsis 
of the subject yet written. Unforeseen circumstances prevente 
the completion of the reports of some of the American commit- 
tees, and the United States Geological Survey was not ade- 
` quately represented, although Mr: McGee did his best with the 
means at his disposal. 
The color system adopted is, as it should be, founded on that 
which has long been current in all countries. The new system 
proposed by the U. S. Geological Survey was not adopted, but a 
letter’ from Major Powell, recommending it, was read. Some of 
the details for representing details, proposed by Major Powell, 
might, we think, be introduced with advantage. The important 
American formations of the Laramie and Puerco must also 
represented by appropriate colors. We hope that the Congress 
of London will make up for these deficiencies, and add to the 
good work done by the Congress of Berlin whatever may be 
necessary from other portions of the earth. 
The report is well printed and is, in all respects, what was to 
have been expected of the distinguished secretary of the Ameri- 
can Committee. 5 
> 
First APPEARANCE OF THE GrRassES.—At a meeting of 
the Geologists’ Association, held at London, April 2d, J. 
Starkie Gardner discussed the points bearing on the geological 
_ period at which grasses first commenced to assume a preponder- 
ating position in vegetation. Their value and importance at the 
present day were first sketched, and it was remarked that they 
` Occupy under cultivation one-third of the entire area of aie 
inclusive of lakes and mountains, while, exclusive of malt an 
a into this country alone. There are over 3000 species fitted to 
_ competition under no matter what conditions, with the result that 
a about ninety-five per tofth pl ‘ g : gi dinary meadow- 
land are grasses. The conclusion arrived at was that mor 
no great development of grasses until towards the close P re 
-Hocene, no definite remains being associated with any O eects 
_ older Eocene floras of temperate latitudes. A number of fac 
1 The Work of the In dof its com- 
i ' ternational Congress of Geologists of Berlin an 
eag Published by the American "Cominittee kodit direction of Dr. Pee l 
