364 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



similar to the Neocomian of Europe were actually contemporaneous with 

 the latter formation, or merely homotaxical and representative of it, was 

 not the question I proposed to deal with. The general sequence of animal 

 life is admittedly the same in either case ; and whether the N eocomian in 

 South America was or was not contemporaneous with the Neocomian in 

 Europe, still it would have to be considered in comparative geology as 

 Neocomian, at all events until some better nomenclature could be decided 

 on. If Belemnites are not found above the Chalk, in Europe, it is pro- 

 bable they will not be found above the homotaxical representatives in 

 South America of the Chalk. 



I trust that this explanation will prove satisfactory to Mr. Lankester 

 and to those of your readers who may take an interest in the matter. 



I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



R. Lechmeee Guppy. 



Tort of Spain, Trinidad, July 28th, 1863. 



Former Higher Temperature of the Earth v. Atmospheric Pressure. 



Sir, — The Eev. James Brodie, at the late British Association Meeting, 

 stated that if at any time the earth had been subjected to a great increase of 

 temperature, it necessarily implied an immense increase of pressure in the 

 atmosphere. A slight increase, he said, would double the atmospheric 

 pressure. Can you, Sir, inform me the grounds of the assertion, and the 

 reasons why the atmospheric pressure would be augmented by the in- 

 crease of internal heat ? Perhaps Mr. Brodie would condescend to en- 

 lighten myself and others of your readers who may be in the same igno- 

 rance as myself upon this very interesting subject, if you, Sir, cannot or 

 decline to give us the explanation. Yours respectfully, 



PULEX. 



Taunton, 4t7t September, 1863. 



BEITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING AT NEWCASTLE. 



The Section of Geology was under the Presidency of Mr. Warington 

 W. Smyth. 



President's Address. — If there is any one part of the British Islands 

 where the very name of the place is naturally associated in our minds 

 with a particular geological formation, it is the town of Newcastle as as- 

 sociated with coal ; and, beyond a doubt, many of the present visitors to 

 this cradle and centre of the coal trade will have made tbeir journey hither 

 with the expectation of not only hearing communications on various 

 branches of geological science, but more especially of adding something 

 to their knowledge of the carboniferous strata. We are to be favoured 

 with several papers dealing with different portions of the subject, and it 

 may be advisable that I should invite your attention to the state of our 

 knowledge of the occurrence and history of the coal-measures generally, 

 referring mainly to the phenomena which characterize that most valuable 

 region in which we are assembled. I shall attempt, as it were, an overture 

 giving a general outline of the carboniferous plot, and introducing a few 

 notes to illustrate those passages which are most likely, in our successive 



