62 
NOTICES OF MEMOIRS. 
The Origin of Petroleum. 
In a lecture recently given by Professor Ansted, at the 
Koyal Institution, ** On the Mud Volcanoes of the Crimea, 
an attempt was made to show a connection between this 
peculiar form of volcanic action and the existence of petro- 
leum, and the relationship of both to great lines of geolo- 
gical disturbance. In Sicily, during the commencement of 
the late eruption in the Bay of Santorin, a jet of muddy 
water at a high temperature was thrown out on the flanks 
of Etna, containing a slight quantity of petroleum, or 
naphtha. This was an instance of the outburst or first 
stage of the mud vulcano. The great district of the Cri- 
mea, extending over 2,000 square miles, was next described, 
some of the mud volcanoes being of considerable age and 
of great size ; one near Kertch, described by Strabo, and 
in eruption 70 years since, being a mile and a-half round 
at the base, and 250 feet high. Although no organic de- 
posits were certainly known in the Crimea, the rocks were 
such as to indicate the likelihood of their existence. Those 
of Java were also noticed as running into connection with 
the same line as the petroleum springs of Eangoon. In 
Mexico and Trinidad the association was also pointed out ; 
the same was the case in the Appennines, and on the 
flanks of the Alps were the famous asphalte beds of Seys- 
sol. The lecturer considered the rock oils to be the result 
of slow volcanic distillation from beds of organic matter, 
and endeavoured to draw the inference that the particular 
conditions of the mud volcanoes should prove a clue to the 
presence, in the subterranean rocks, o*f petroleum. 
