70 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
dykes, and seldom rise to more than a few feet over the medium level. 
From the mouths of the Yang-tze to the walls of Peking, along the 
Grand Canal, there scarcely occurs a rising ground, and the soil is so soft 
and muddy that it has been all but impossible to form a carriage-road in 
the British settlement of Shanghai. 
In a general view of the geology of China, the country would appear to 
be divided into two districts, one consisting of the provinces of Quantung, 
Quang-si, and the southern portions of Yunnan, the other of the northern 
portions of Yunnan and the provinces lying northwards. They appear to 
be divided by the range of mountains running W. and E. through Yunnan, 
and terminating eastward in the Me-ling range, across which the road 
from Canton to Hankow passes at a considerable elevation. South of this 
line the rocks appear to be more of the metamorphic character, and to 
contain little if any coal, whilst to the north they are much less altered, 
and contain abundant stores of mineral fuel. 
Eeeatum. — In the editor's article on Arjhseopteryx, p. 6, for " Miocene 
Eocks of Bonn, as well as in Braunkohl, near Aix," read "Miocene rock 
near Aix, as well as in the Braunkohl of Bonn." 
PEOCEEDIXGS OE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
Geological Society. — January 7 th. — "On the Lower Carboniferous 
Brachiopoda of !Xova Scotia." By T. Davidson, Esq., F.E.S., F.G.S. 
The age of these beds was jBrst clearly determined by Sir C. Lyell, and 
the author proceeded to point out the affinities of the entire Carboniferous 
formation to the Permian, and observed that many species, especially of 
Brachiopoda, are common to both formations. He combated the idea of a 
universal extinction of species at the close of the Palaeozoic epoch, on the 
ground that some Palaeozoic species pass upwards into Mesozoic strata ; 
and then, after remarking upon the vagueness of the term ' species,' pro- 
ceeded to show that science was not yet in a condition to enable us to test 
satisfactorily, by observation, the value of Mr. Darwin's theory of descent 
with modification. Mr. Davidson then remarked that the Lower Carboni- 
ferous Brachiopoda of Nova Scotia were smaller than the same or repre- 
sentative species occurring in contemporaneous strata in other parts of the 
world ; and he concluded iDy giving diagnoses of the species determined by 
him, and comparing his list of species with that given by Sir C. Lyell in 
his ' Travels in North America.' 
2. " On the Gravels and other superficial Deposits of Ludlow, Hereford, 
and Skipton." By T. Curley, Esq., C.E., F.G.S. 
In describing some plans and sections taken during the progress of drain- 
age-works in Ludlow, Hereford, and Skipton, the author mentioned the 
existence, near Ludlow, of two kinds of gravel, having a difference of level 
of about 100 feet, described three terraces of a like nature, about 30 or 40 
feet apart vertically, in the vicinity of Hereford, and then noticed similar 
deposits near Skipton. Mr. Curley considers the majority of these gravel- 
beds to be of lacustrine origin. 
Manchestee Geological Society. — November 26th. — An account was 
given of the excursion to Halifax, Hipperholme, Lightcliffe, and Low 
Moor, on the 3rd of September, with the Geological Society of the West 
Eiding of Yorkshire, by E. W. Binney, Esq., RE.S., V.P. The Natural 
History Society's Museum, at Halifax, was visited. It contains the finest 
examples of Goniatites, Nautilus, Orthoceras, and Aviculopecten, from 
