October 10, 18S4. 



SCIENCE, 



363 



gravels of the Chaudiere valley, which are 

 among the few profitable placer grounds of east- 

 ern America. Although but a cursory exami- 

 nation, this study suggests mairy interesting 

 points for future inquiry. Appended to this 

 report are some notes on the microscopic 

 structure of certain rocks of the Quebec 

 group, by Mr. F. D. Adams. They seem to 

 be careful studies ; but, there being no figures 

 of the sections from which the microscopic 

 researches were made, the}* suggest little com- 

 ment. 



The first of the assistants' reports is that 

 of Dr. G. M. Dawson, on the geology of the 

 Bow and Belly river region, north-west terri- 

 torv. It contains a very interesting account 

 of the coals of the Laramie epoch, which are of 

 exceeding value to the north-western region. 

 Although in its nature a preliminary report, it 

 contains a large amount of valuable detailed 

 information concerning these coals. Although 

 essentially lignites, they are superior to the 

 most of such deposits now in use in Europe. 

 This report is illustrated by several rather 

 coarse lithographs, showing interesting aspects 

 of this district. 



The next report is one by Dr. Robert Dell, 

 on the geology of the basin of Moose River 

 and Lake of the Woods, with two heliotypes 

 of scenery, and two maps. This report is of 

 a very preliminary nature. In its nine pages 

 of text, only enough is given to show that 

 the region is full of interesting problems. 

 The accompanying maps show the general 

 distribution of the Laurentian and Huronian 

 rocks, but the information is only a matter of 

 outlines. It has, however, a special economic 

 interest, as it indicates a possibly new gold- 

 field, and, what is perhaps of more importance, 

 a prospect of extensive apatite deposits in this 

 district. Appended to the report is a cata- 

 logue of plants and of coleopterous insects, 

 the latter by the late Dr. LeConte. Next 

 there are two considerable reports by Mr. R. 

 W. Ellis, on the geology of northern and east- 

 ern New Brunswick, and the north side of 

 the Bay of Chaleurs, and on the geology of the 

 Gaspe peninsula. Both these reports concern 

 very interesting regions, which have previously 

 been described in a general way. In them a 

 great many contributions are given to the 

 general structural, as well as the economical 

 geology, of these districts. There are inter- 

 esting lists of fossils from the several members 

 of the paleozoic series. We miss the detailed 

 sections which are obtainable in this country, 

 which would have greatly added to the value 

 of the report. 



Next there is a report on some of the mines 

 of the Province of Quebec, by Charles W. 

 Willemott. Except the apatite mines of the 

 Gatineau district, these deposits do not seem 

 to have much value. For the apatite deposit^ 

 there seems to be a large future. Accounts 

 of the several mines are extremely brief, and 

 have not much economic or scientific value. 

 The volume ends with a report of Mr. Gr. 

 Christian Hoffman, entitled t4 Chemical contri- 

 butions to the geological survey of Canada, 

 from the laboratory of the survey." It con- 

 sists of about fifty determinations of various 

 substances of presumed economic or scientific 

 interest, with various remarks as to their value 

 in the arts, 01113- one of them of general inter- 

 est ; viz., a careful analysis of the mineral 

 smarskite, newly found in Canada. This 

 branch of the work of the survey has been 

 put out of gear by the removal of the labora- 

 tory from Montreal to Ottawa. As a whole, 

 these reports, covering as the}* do the work of 

 three years, are rather disappointing. The 

 survey has an annual grant of sixty thousand 

 dollars. Much is to be allowed for the diffi- 

 culties arising from the size and complications 

 of the field with which it deals ; still, it seems 

 as if more in the way of definite economic 

 and scientific results should be attained with 

 this liberal expenditure. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



We take the following ' editorial note ' from the 

 September number of the American meteorological 

 journal as suggesting a simple plan of work in which 

 many non-professional observers might contribute a 

 willing share toward the solution of important prob- 

 lems: "Is it not worth while to consider whether 

 the deficiency of observations on local storms, which 

 makes the determination of their action doubtful, 

 could not be remedied by appointing special days on 

 which hourly or bi-hourly observations should be 

 taken, with additional records at still more frequent 

 intervals when any change in the condition of the air 

 required it ? These special days might be on certain 

 pre-arranged dates, ' term days,' so called, when the 

 records would gather up any thing that happened to 

 come along in the passage of the weather; but they 

 would better serve the purpose here in view if they 

 were really specially appointed by the signal-service 

 officers only a day or two before their date. It is evi- 

 dent enough from an inspection of Finley's maps, and 

 from a brief study of summer thunder-storms, that 

 the southern side or south-eastern quadrant of our 

 passing cyclones contains the greatest share of local 

 disturbances. Let the plan be published in advance 

 by circulars and newspaper paragraphs ; and then, if, 

 while a cyclone was still beyond the Eocky Moun- 



