62 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



REVIEWS. 



Geognostische Beschreibung des Landes zwischen der untern 

 Saar und dem Rheine, von J. Steininger. {Geognostic des- 

 cription of the district between the Lower Saar and the 

 Hhine^ by J. Steininger). Trier, F. Lintz, and atlas, 4to. 

 1840. 



This volume contains a general description of the coal 

 series and trap rocks which occur within the district above 

 referred to, as submitted to the " Society for the prosecution 

 of useful Researches, established at Trier,^' (Gesellschaft 

 niitzlicher Forschungen). This district is bounded on the N. 

 (from Mersig on the Saar to Bingen on the Rhine) by the 

 transition shales of the middle Rhine ; on the S. (from Kai- 

 serslautern by Homburg and Saarbriicken) by the sandstone 

 of the Vosges ; on the W. (from Saarbriicken to Mersig) by 

 the same sandstone and Muschel-kalk, and on the E. (from 

 Kirchheimbolanden to Bingen) by tertiary chalk and sea- 

 sand, being, in extent, about twelve German miles from E. 

 to W., and five German miles from N. to S. 



Having premised thus much as to the general boundaries 

 of the district under consideration, we will follow the author 

 in his geognostic description, with a view to detail the more 

 important occurrences recorded in his work ; and firstly, with 

 reference to the slate rocks of the middle Rhine, he states 

 that : 



These rocks consist of quartz, clayslate and greywacke, which form 

 the highest elevations, where they are nearest to the coal-measnres. These 

 slates were originally deposited horizontally, as proved hy layers of fossil 

 remains, consisting principally of Orthis protensa, 0. compressa, 0. lata, 

 and Spirifer alatus, but their present position is at an angle of QOP — 90°; 

 this elevation is general, proving the same cause to have effected the 

 change throughout the system." 



Passing over the more elaborate details of t:iis series, con- 

 sisting of relative comparisons between these and other cor- 

 responding though remotely situate rocks, which, on that 



