Scientific Notes . 
[October, 
566 
The Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, A. R. C. Selwyn, F.R.S., 
F.G.S., has issued the “ Report of Progress for 1875 — 1876.” The Dominion, 
like its southern neighbour, the American Union, is sparing no pains in ascer- 
taining the nature and the magnitude of its natural resources. For this purpose 
exploring expeditions are being sent to report on the mineral wealth of the 
back territories, their agricultural capabilities, their climate, and the means 
they offer for communication. Nor are these investigations limited to the 
economic features of the country. Its geological characteristics, its fauna and 
flora, both living and extindl, are carefully scrutinised. That this conduCt is 
true wisdom, even from a practical point of view, stands in no need of demon- 
stration. The general impression which must be left on the mind of the 
reader is that the value of the western, and even the northern, parts of the 
Dominion is far greater than we in England commonly imagine. Thus even 
in Fort Simpson — latitude 62° N. — barley always ripens between the 12th and 
20th of August, and wheat succeeds in four seasons out of five, which is more 
than can be said of some localities in England. Vancouver Island and the 
Queen Charlotte group resemble in their climate the western shores of Ireland, 
but are warmer and less troubled with summer rains. A current analogous to 
the Gulf Stream, the “ Kuro Siwo,” is the cause of a temperature abnormally 
high for the latitude. The forest growth is magnificent, the soil fruitful, the 
deeper strata rich in gold, silver, coal, and iron. The coast-line of 400 miles 
in extent is indented with inlets — here called canals — resembling the fiords of 
Norway, and affording everywhere safe anchorage for ships. In short, it would 
be difficult to imagine a region better fitted by Nature to be the home of a 
great industrial and commercial people. The botanist, Mr. Macoum, speaks 
with enthusiasm of the beauty and luxuriance of the vegetation, of which he 
gives lists. This volume contains an obituary notice of Sir W. E. Logan, the 
first Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, to whom, indeed, the suc- 
cess of this undertaking is very largely owing. It is scarcely needful to 
remark that this Report, like its predecessors, constitutes an invaluable store- 
house of fadts for all who are interested either in the geology, the palae- 
ontology, or the botany of the Dominion. Its utility is enhanced by the 
accompanying maps and views of the scenery taken from photographs. 
From Se&ion XI. of Dr. Ottokar Feistmantel’s “ Memoirs of the Geological 
Survey of India — Palaeontologia Indica, being Figures and Descriptions of 
the Organic Remains procured during the Progress of the Geological Survey 
of India,” which treats of the Jurassic (oolitic) flora of Kach, we learn that 
the flora of Kach is very poor when compared with the other fossil floras of 
India, especially in the number of species. In age it probably approximates 
to the Lower Oolite of Yorkshire, as seen at Scarborough, with which it has 
eight forms identical. With the oolitic floras of France and Italy that of Kach 
has no species in common. 
Microscopy. — “ Double-Staining Tissues with Indigo-Carmine and Car- 
mine,” by F. Merbel (‘‘American Journal of the Medical Sciences,” for 
January, 1877). The dye consists of two fluids made separately, but mixed 
before use. One, a boracic solution of carmine (carmine, \ drachm ; borax, 
2 drachms ; distilled water, 4 ounces). The other, a similar solution of indigo- 
carmine (indigo-carmine, 2 drachms ; borax, 2 drachms ; distilled water, 
4 ounces). Indigo-carmine is the trade name for sulphindigotate of potassium, 
and is the same dye used by Chrzonszczewsky in his researches upon the 
commencement of the portal dudt. The specimens to be stained, if hardened 
in chromic acid, must be deprived of it by washing, and then be immersed in 
the mixed dyes for a quarter of an hour. After that they must be transferred 
to a saturated solution of oxalic acid, both to “ set ” the blue colour as well 
as to lighten the general tint, and then, having been washed in distilled water, 
mounted in Canada balsam in the usual way. The author does not consider 
the process as yet perfected, but hoped that, by finding some other reagent 
than oxalic acid, that would possess its good without its deleterious properties, 
a more uniform and certain result might in all cases be ensured. 
