410 



THE GEOLOGIST* 



next in numerical force is Ntihecularia, Tolymorpli'ma, BuUmina, and Lituola 

 are represented by a few individuals. 



The authors stated that nearljr all the varieties of the Nodosarinae found at 

 Chellaston are present in the _ Lias, in the clays of the Oolites, in the Gault, 

 Chalk-marl, Chalk, some Tertiary deposits, and in some of the western Medi- 

 terranean and other seas ; and the species of the other genera have also per- 

 sisted to the present day. One of the Triassic forms was described as a new 

 variety under the name of N. Tibia. After describing the distribution of 

 Poraminifera in many of the Mesozoic strata, and pointing out that Nodosarice, 

 Textularia, Botalia, and some other Eoraminifera occur in the palaeozoic rocks, 

 Messrs. Jones and Parker observed that altogether we have here some remark- 

 able instances of the persistency of life-types among the lower animals. 

 " Though the specific relationship of the palseozoic Toraminifera require further 

 elucidation, we feel certain that the six genera represented in the Upper 

 Keuper Clay of Chellaston by at least thirty varieties stand really in the place 

 of ancestral representatives of certain existing Eoraminifera, that they put on 

 their several subspecific features in accordance with the conditions of their 

 place of growth, just as their posterity now do, and that, although we have in 

 this instance met with only the minute forms of a seven hundred fathoms mud- 

 bottom, yet elsewhere the contemporaneous fuller development of these specific 

 types may be found by careful search in other and more shallow water deposits 

 of the Triassic period." 



May 2. 1860. 



"On the Physical Relations of the Reptiliferous Sandstone near Elgin." 

 By the Eev. W'. S. Symonds, F.G.S. 



Hef erring to Sir R. Murchison's sections of the Elgin district, in the Quart. 

 Journ. Geol. Soc, No. 59, pp. 424 and 428, which show a conformable sequence 

 of strata from the Old Red Sandstone of Eoths to the yellow sandstone and 

 cornstoue of Lossiemouth and Burgh Head, the author stated that the sili- 

 ceous marly rocks, or so-called " cornstones" of Glassgreen, Linkstield, Spynie, 

 Inverugie, and Lossiemouth are in reality very dissimilar to the cornstones of 

 Eoths and Cothall. He then pointed out the improbability of the so-called 

 cornstones of Glassgreen continuing to dip north- westwardly under the sand- 

 stone of the Quarry-wood Ridge, especially as near Linksfield it is seen to dip 

 away from that ridge. Evidence also of a break in the strata at the Bishop 

 Mill quarries was brought forward to show that the sandstone beneath this 

 " cornstone" (presumed to be the Reptiliferous sandstone) is probably brought 

 by a fault against the lower or Holoptychian sandstone, which latter towards 

 Spynie was shown to be surmounted by the Reptiliferous sandstone, and this 

 last conformably by a marly siliceous rock or so-called " cornstone." 



Beyond Spynie Loch, northward, the author supposed that another fault had 

 again brought up the sandstone with Stagonoleiiis and Hi/perodapedon at Lossie- 

 mouth. Beyond this a cornstone-like rock is again seen to cover the 

 sandstone. 



2. " Notice of the Discovery of two Bone-caves in Northern Sicily." By 

 Baron xVnca de Mangalaviti.* 



May IG, 1860. 



1. " Outline of the Geology of part of Venezuela and of Trinidad." By 

 G. P. "\Vall,_Esq. Communicated by Sir Roderick Murchison, V.P.G.S. 

 The district examined by Mr. Wall extends from the Stli degree nortli lati- 



* A full account of these caves is pfiven at pn/rc 312 of Lliis volume. 



