NOTES AND QUERIES. 



155 



in golden sands. These have long since been removed, whilst at the 

 present price of labour, and with the extreme irregularity of distribu- 

 tion that seems always to obtain where native metals exist, it is almost 

 a hopeless chance to expect profit from mining or reducing establish- 

 ments on a large scale. 



I am, &c., 



D. T. ANSTED. 



17 Manchester-street, 17 th March, 1858. 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



DETERMINA.TION OF FossiLS. — IxQuiRER (Harwich). — " In my district I find 

 abundance of certain fossils, but not having any large library accessible to me, 

 nor any learned friend to whom I could appeal, and as I cannot afford to expend 

 much money in books — indeed, even those I possess, through my inexperience, 

 do not afford me that certainty of determination which, as a foundation to 

 further efforts, I so much desire — can you inform me of any ready and inexpensive 

 means of learning their names ? " — Similar difficulties in naming fossils have 

 been made known to us, as experienced by W. H. Y. (Sherborne) ; T. H. 

 (Hinckley); A. C. C. (Forfar); Student (Blyth) ; J. P. (StoAvmarket) ; W. E. 

 (Chudleigh); R. F. (Tonbridgo); W. E. (Chester); Rambler (Swindon); H. P. 

 (Ledbury) ; I. C, C. (Saffron Walden) ; A CollecLur (Felixstow). We have received 

 such very numerous inquiries of this nature, as to make us regard this difficulty, 

 experienced by isolated students and beginners, with much interest. If 

 duplicate specimens are sent free to the Editor, with numbered lists and 

 localities, addressed to the care of Mr. Allen, 2 Catherine Street, Strand, such 

 lists will be returned as soon as convenient, with the generic and specific names 

 inserted. 



Provincial Correspondents. — A correspondent at Worcester writes, that he 

 thinks local facts should be especially looked to, and every efi'ort made to 

 obtain the latest observations, such as might be long in getting into the 

 Proceedings of the Geological Society, &c. ; and to ensure this it is perhaps not 

 enough that a number of names appear as contributors, but that in each county 

 or district some one or two correspondents should regularly be engaged to 

 forward to the Editor all new facts and observations connected with their 

 districts." — We print this extract from our correspondent's letter, because 

 it accords with our own views and wishes, and with those which other corres- 

 pondents have communicated to us. We have already commenced taking steps 

 to obtain such a combination of workers, which, more than anything else, will 

 tend to keep up the standard of the Geologist as a work of merit, and to 

 maintain its name in popular favour. If the working geologists and amateurs 

 in the country will forward to us accounts of their discoveries, we will do 

 our best at all times, in this great city, where the best can be done, to render their 

 labours available for the progress of science. We should be pleased to have re- 

 gular correspondents in every district ; but these, of course, must be voluntary 

 helpers, as our resources would not permit such a staff of paid contributors. The 

 correspondent at Worcester from whom we have quoted, recommends the report, 

 in full, of the proceedings and excursions of all Field Clubs. There is very often 

 more conviviality than science in these meetings, and we only consider it necessary 

 to report that which has a scientific value. We should be obliged to the secre- 

 taries of Field Clubs or Naturalists' Associations for notices of the proceedings, 

 as we by no means under-rate the utility and practical value of such institutions. 

 We have no intention nor wish to anticipate the published records of the 

 Geological Society. Very little, we think, of importance escapes a ready 



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