112 THE GEOLOGIST. 
the tarsus and inetatarsns, two vertebrae, and various fragments. " These 
remains," he says, "lay in the upper strata of the Keuper, visibly over- 
lapped by the Lias. This formation has hitherto been considered as de- 
void of organic remains in this country (France), where it contains gypsum 
and rock-salt. Nevertheless, some years ago, M. Pidancet, a geologist of 
the Franche-comte, found in these same strata large bones, which he depo- 
sited in the Museum of Besan^on, and which he considers as belonging to 
the same species. A few months ago, while opening a ditch for the rail- 
road near Domblans, a similar fragment was found ; and M. Lauckardt, 
one of the employes, has seen also at the same place other bones much 
larger, which he could not displace on account of their fragility. 
Mammalian Remains. — M. Froment, the Mayor of Saint-Loth aire, 
has found bones of mammoth and deer in a bed of sand and marl contain- 
ing boulders of quartz and numerous fragments of terrestrial and freshwater 
shells. — 'Sentinelle du Jura.' 
Nodular Bodies from the Crag. — Sir, — Could any of 3^ our readers 
inform me as to what causes certain bodies of this shape in the 
Eed Crag of Suffolk ? I have met with them in great numbers 
along the cliffs at Bawdsey. They are made up of the same 
materials as the rest of the crag, but seem to be harder and 
contain more oxide of iron. They are hollow in the middle, 
and measure from an inch to a foot in length. Their origin, 
perhaps, is the same as the Sabella tubes mentioned in a former 
Number by Mr. Brent. They are exposed only by the action 
of wind and water on account of their superior hardness. I 
should be glad of au}^ information concerning them, however 
small. — I remain yours, etc., Voluta. 
[We handed this query over to a correspondent, who pon- 
dered over the reply to be given on the origin of these mystical 
bodies until he fell asleep and dreamed that at a considerable 
outlay of time, trouble, and expense, he had submitted it to va- 
rious competent authorities, and by special trains, electric messages, etc., 
bad been favoured with the folloAving answers : — 
" Sponges," J. S. B. *' Annelid-tubes," J. W. S. " Cephalaspid tails," 
G. E. K.. "Casts of tree-roots," C. B. "Lightning-tubes," Gr. L. G. 
*' Effects of Water-spouts," eT. T. " Elongate-ovate Crvstalloids," H. C. S. 
*' Alveolinffi," W. B. C. " Ovoid bodies of Teredines," N. T. W. _ " Nests 
of Entomostraca." T. R. J. " Horn-cores of Bos," H. F. " Derived fos- 
sils from the Coal " and " Casts of bore-holes of Saxicava, in place," 
J. M. " Fossil wasp-nests," I. O. W. " Coprolite of a Gorilla," O. 
" Not a Coprolite of a Gorilla," J. E. G. " Cases of Caddis- worm (Phry- 
ganea Hercules)," H. T. S. " Joint of Cragocrinus," E. W. " Foetal 
Whales," T. H. H. " Casts of Swallow-holes," J. P. " Objects of Human 
Industry, such as rusty spikes, tenpenny nails, marling-pikes, sounding- 
leads, or such like," B..de P. " Prochronic Tailor-birds' Nests," P. G. 
*' Darwinian Eau-de-Cologne Bottles," F. W. H.] 
Geology Briefly Explained. — The following admirable and succinct 
epitome of our science, in use by Professor King, at Queen's College, 
Galway, will be found very useful by many of our younger readers, and 
for lecture jDurposes by our elder ones. 
Definition of the Science. — Geology (from ^e, the earth, and logos, a dis- 
course) treats of the nature and order of arrangement of the rocks composing 
the crust of the globe ; of the physico-geographical changes which its surface 
has undergone ; and of the various plants and animals with which the 
lands and waters of by-gone periods have been tenanted, as well as the 
