son River beds, is covered to the north, not solely by the Niagara limestone, as has been supposed, but to a large extent by the Lower Helderberg, and mainly the water-lime beds; and passing eastward from this area, the surface rocks are in succession, the Oriskany sandstone, Corniferous limestone, Hamilton group, the Huron Shale or Genesee and Portage, the Waverly group now proved to be Subcarboniferous, and the Coal Measures, the last mentioned covering nearly all of the eastern third of the state. There is also, on the Lake shore, the Erie Shale, several hundred feet thick, corresponding to the Chemung, a rock hitherto confounded with the Huron Shale.

The Huron Shale, as first found by Mr. Hertzer, contains fossil remains of fishes and wood inside of large concretions; and one of the fishes, called the Dinichthys Hertzeri by Newberry, had a head three feet long by two broad, with the jaws over two feet in length and five inches deep; the two jaws met in front to form one great triangular tooth which interlocked with two in the upper jaw seven inches long and more than three wide.

The discovery of the Subcarboniferous limestone in patches in the state is announced by Prof. Andrews, of the Survey, at page 91 of this volume. The report of Prof. Andrews, which everywhere shows careful research, relates to the eastern or Carboniferous portion of the State, and contains special descriptions of the rocks and iron ore beds, with sections, lists of fossils, observations on economical products, etc.

Among the most interesting results obtained are those of the chemist, Prof. Wormley, who has proved that the sulphur in the coal is not all or mainly in the state of sulphid of iron, but in that of an organic sulphur compound.

We cite the following from Prof. Andrews' Report, on page 108: "All the authorities on the subject of coal have hitherto supposed the sulphur to be chemically combined with iron in the form of a bisulphide of iron (FeS2). Prof. Dana, in his recent work on Mineralogy, expresses a doubt in regard to this in the following para graph, page 756:

Sulphur is present in nearly all coals. It is supposed to be usually combined with iron, and when the coal affords a red ash on burning, there is reason for believing this true. But Percy mentions a coal from New Zealand which gave a peculiarly white ash, although containing from 2 to 3 p. c. of sulphur, a fact showing that it is present not as a sulphide of iron, but as a constituent of an organic compound. The discovery by Church of a resin containing sulphur (see Tasmanite, p. 746), gives reason for inferring that it may exist in this coal in that state, although its presence as a constituent of other organic compounds is quite possible.'

By an examination of Prof. Wormley's table of analyses of the Lost Run coal, it will be seen that in no case is there iron enough in the coal to take up in combination all the sulphur. In No. 27, the sulphur is 101 per cent. Adopting for the combination of the bisulphide of iron the proportion given by chemists, viz: iron

46.7, and sulphur 533, in 100 parts, the sulphur in No. 27 would require 0.884 per cent of iron, whereas Prof. Wormley finds only 0.09 per cent. This 0.09 per cent of iron would require only 0-102 per cent of sulphur to make the usual iron pyrites, and there are consequently 0.908 per cent of sulphur elsewhere in the coal than in combination with iron.

Another marked illustration of the disproportion of sulphur to the iron in a bituminous coal is found in the analysis of a coal from Washington county. The coal is a white ash coal, and the sample analyzed had been in the cabinet of Marietta college for fourteen years, and showed none of the usual tendency to disintegrate from a change of the bisulphide to the sulphate of iron, a salt which, in crystallizing, breaks the coal by its expansion. The sample was found by Prof. Wormley to contain only 0.390 per cent of iron, but 3.330 per cent of sulphur. There should have been but 0-455 per cent of sulphur, if the sulphur were limited to a bisulphide of iron."

Prof. Andrews observes, on p. 133, that gold has been taken from the Drift at several points in Licking Co., and that in the summer of 1868, gold dust was gathered to the value of seventeen dollars.

Prof. Orton was occupied with Southwestern Ohio, which he is evidently studying with much care. Some observations of his in this region on a peat bed beneath the drift, a discovery of the survey, are published on page 54 of vol. 1, of this Journal for 1870. A large number of analyses of limestones and other rocks of this part of the state by Dr. Wormley are given on pages 151 to 153. They show that the Niagara limestone is a true magnesian limestone, containing 40 to 50 per cent of carbonate of magnesia.

2. Report on the Geological Survey of Iowa; by CHARLES A. WHITE, M. D.: Geological Corps, C. A. White, State Geologist; O. H. St. John, Assistant; Rush Emery, Chemist. Vol. I, 381 pp. large 8vo, with maps, sections and views. Des Moines, 1870.The geological survey of Iowa was first undertaken by Professors James Hall and J. D. Whitney, who published their valuable Report, a large octavo volume, in 1858. In 1866 the survey was. resumed, under the order of the State, by Prof. White, but was unfortunately cut short again by the Legislature before the work was half done, yet not before important results were obtained, as shown in the volume just now issued. It is the first of the two volumes of which the Report is to consist. This first volume is a clear and succinct account of the physical geography and geology of the State, with details respecting several of its counties. After a general view of the Iowa rocks, it treats in its first part, of the surface features, including its elevation, drainage system, lakes, caverns, &c.; the Drift and other Quaternary deposits; the soils, prairies and forest-regions; its climate (a chapter, prepared by Mr. T. S. Parvin). In its second part, it takes up the geology, speaking of the several rocks in order of age, giving their characters, characteristic fossils, distribution, etc. Part third, is occupied by

a chapter on the counties of Southwestern Iowa. We select a few facts from the Report.

The thickness of the Lower Silurian is stated as 1160 feet (of which 550 are Primordial); Upper Silurian, (Niagara group) 530 feet; Devonian (Hamilton group) 200 feet; Subcarboniferous, 530 feet; Coal measures, 600 feet; Cretaceous, 330 feet; following which is the Drift; in all, less than 3200 feet for the maximum thickness.

Azoic rocks occur over a few acres in the extreme northwest corner of the State. The Subcarboniferous rocks, which extend northwestward across the State, consist of four subdivisions, the same that are recognized by Worthen in Illinois; 1, the Kinderhook group, the lowest and widest in extent, reaching farthest north; 2, the Burlington limestone, of much less extent northward; 3, the Keokuk limestone (in which the Warsaw limestone is included), with still less of northward extension; and 4, the St. Louis limestone, reaching north nearly as far as the Kinderhook group. The 5th or Upper division, the Chester limestone, does not reach to within a hundred miles of the southern boundary of Iowa. The Coal measures are divided into the Lower, the Middle, and the Upper; and the Upper is largely limestone, a rock much like that of the Subcarboniferous, and formerly supposed to be of that group, but proved by Dr. White on both geographical and paleontological evidence to be Upper Carboniferous. The chapter on the Middle Coal Measures is by the Assistant Geologist in the Survey, Mr. O. H. St. John. Sections are given of the Coal measures, as well as of the other rocks.

The subject is throughout presented in excellent style, simple enough for the popular reader, with much of practical value, and yet exact and concise in its scientific descriptions and statements; and the work in its typography as well as its science is an honor to the State. The volume contains a geological map-model of the State, made up of layers of paper colored and lettered to represent the successive rocks-an admirable contrivance of Dr. White's, for popular illustration, and one that may be of great service in public lectures on the science. It is particularly adapted to regions of nearly horizontal rocks.

The second volume of the Report is to be devoted to detailed geology, lithology, mineralogy, and chemistry, and will be accompanied by a geological chart of the State. The Chemical Report will be by Prof. Emery, who, Dr. White observes, "has performed his duties with a zeal and conscientiousness worthy of all admiration."

3. Report of the Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel, made under the direction of Maj. Gen. A. A. Humphreys, Chief of Engineers, by Clarence King, U. S. Geologist. Vol. III, Mining Industry; by JAMES D. HAGUE, with Geological contributions by CLARENCE KING. 647 pp. 4to, with xxxvii plates on stone, and an Atlas. 1870, Washington, Government Printing Office. The prompt publication of this volume on the Mining

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Industry of Nevada and Colorado, within a year from the close of the field-work of the 40th parallel survey, is a good omen for the early completion of the whole report.

The present book, the third volume, although the first in the or3 der of publication, opens with a general sketch of the western mining districts, and an elaborate monograph on the geology of the Washoe district, and the general structure and mode of occurrence of the Comstock lode by Mr. King, covering 97 pages. Then follows an exhaustive treatise on the exploitation of the Comstock mines, and the mechanical and metallurgical treatment of their ores, by James D. Hague, supplemented by a brief chapter on the Chemistry of the Washoe process by Arnold Hague, the whole occupying 198 pages. This is followed by a chapter of 150 pages on the mines of Central and Eastern Nevada by J. D. Hague, with geological contributions by S. F. Emmons, and A. Hague, containing descriptions of the Reese River, White Pine. and Egan Cañon districts. Chapter VII, by Mr. King, is on the Green River Coal Basin, and contains paleontological contributions by F. B. Meek. The remaining three chapters, by J. D. Hague, are devoted to a general sketch of Colorado and a detailed account of gold and silver mining in that territory. The work is supplied with an excellent index, and is accompanied by an atlas of xii plates, admirably engraved and printed by Julius Bien of New York. This volume contains a very large number of newly observed facts, which have been calmly considered; and the conclusions therefrom are clearly and candidly set forth. It is not too much to say that the descriptions of the Washoe region, and the illustrative maps showing the geology and topography of the Comstock lode by Messrs. King and Gardner, with the maps, sections and elevations of the different parts of the mines and workings, surpass in completeness and perfection of execution, any similar work ever published. The chapters by Mr. James D. Hague on the methods of exploitation and treatment of the ores of the different districts give, in a masterly manner, the facts and details on these points, and also contain a large amount of carefully collated statistics, never before published, regarding the cost of production, and the yield of the mines up to 1870. Mr. Hague's le practical experience in mining, and his thorough knowledge of the scientific principles involved, together with his candid and discriminating treatment of the facts under consideration, give great weight to his conclusions, and render this volume the most valuable contribution yet made to the literature of the Mining Industry of the United States. This book should be studied by every one interested in the development of our western mining regions, and Congress would do a great service to the country if it should authorize a popular edition to be published for general distribution. Mr. King announces that his report will be completed in five volumes. Vol. I, Systematic Geology; Vol. II, Descriptive Geology; Vol. III, Mining Industry; Vol. IV, Zoology and Paleontology; Vol. V, Botany. The whole report forms No. 18 of the Professional papers of the Engineer Department, U. S. Army.

4. The Literature of Kent's Cavern, near Torquay, Devonshire. -Besides the five Reports of the Committee for exploring Kent's Cavern, published by the British Association in the volumes for the years 1865 to 1870 inclusive (the first one of which was republished in vol. xliii of this Journal, 1867), various important publications have been made by Mr. Wm. Pengelly, F.R.S., &c., in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, etc., which have also been reprinted in pamphlet form. These include the following: The Literature of Kent's Cavern, prior to 1859, 54 pp. 8vo, 1868.- Condition of some of the bones found in Kent's Cavern, 8 pp. 8vo, 1868.-The Literature of Kent's Cavern, Part II, including the whole of the Rev. J. MacEnery's Manuscript, 310 pp. 8vo, 1869.-On the alleged occur rence of Hippopotamus major and Machairodus latidens in Kent's Cavern, 25 pp. 8vo, 1869.-Mr. Pengelly was on the British Association Committee, and served as its Reporter. He has also published, in the same Transactions, On the Antiquity of Man in the South-west of England, 34 pp. 8vo, 1867.—On the Introduction of Cavern Accumulations, 12 pp. 8vo.--On the Literature of the Caverns near Yealmpton, South Devon, 25 pp., 1870; and other papers on the Geology of Devonshire.

5. Atlas der Krystall-formen des Mineralreiches; von Dr. ALBRECHT SCHRAUF, ersten Custos des K. K. Hof-Mineralien-Kabinets, Wien, etc. 4to, II Lieferung. Dr. Schrauf of Vienna is one of the best crystallographers of the age, as well as an excellent physicist. He has commenced in this Atlas a large and beautiful work on the crystalline forms of minerals, having just published the second part out of the twenty of which it is to consist. The order in which the mineral species are taken up is alphabetical. The Second part, just now issued, contains plates 11 to 20, illustrating the species from Anglesite to Apatite inclusive, and each plate is occupied with sixteen figures drawn and engraved with great exactness. Under anglesite there are 75 figures; under anhydrite, 16; under apatite, 36; and so on. The text contains crystallographic descriptions of the several figures, and the fundamental dimensions and angles, but without tables of the inclinations between the various planes. Many of the figures are by Dr. Schrauf himself; and in all cases references are given to the authority. The work would be a very valuable companion to any mineralogical cabinet or library. It is printed in a style worthy of the Vienna press.

6. Synopsis of the Extinct Batrachia and Reptilia of North America; by EDWARD D. COPE. Part III. pp. 235, to 252 with two large plates.-This third part continues Prof. Cope's very valuable work on our fossil Batrachians, Reptiles and Birds. It is devoted mainly to the birds, and describes at length the species Sula loxostyla Cope, from the Miocene of Calvert Co., Maryland, and Meleagris superbus Cope, (on a following page, recognized as having been first announced by O. C. Marsh as Meleagris altus), from the Post-pliocene of Monmouth Co., N. J. It contains also