In a recent publication (“Anthozoen des rheinischen Mittel-devon,” 1889) Professor Schlüter has put forward the conclusion that the genus Syringolites, Hinde, is identical with the much older genus Roemeria, Edwards & Haime, the former name thus becoming a mere synonym. From this conclusion I feel obliged to dissent, and I propose to show in the following brief communication that Roemeria and Syringolites are distinguished by important morphological characters, and that the latter is fully entitled to generic rank.

The following account of the Proboscidea, by Prof. E. D. Cope, appeared in a recent number of the “American Naturalist” and is so interesting, that we venture to give the more important part in full, and some few of the illustrations.—Edit. Geol. Mag.

Since the works of Agassiz and Egerton, few contributions have been made to the knowledge of British Jurassic “Ganoid” and “Teleostean” Fishes, and a considerable amount of undescribed material has thus accumulated in various collections. Much more progress has been made upon the Continent, where the Lithographic Stones of Bavaria, Würtemberg, and Ain, especially, yield a rich assemblage of forms in a remarkable state of preservation; and it is now an interesting study to compare the British Jurassic fossils with their well-known continental allies. Such an undertaking is facilitated by the recent appearance of Prof. Dr. K. A. von Zittel's admirable critical summary of the extinct Mesozoic fishes; and it is the object of the present notice to offer some preliminary remarks upon a few of the more prominent types observed by the author in English collections.

During June last I visited the Fullers Earth Pits at Nutfield, near Redhill, Surrey, with the London Geological Field Class, when Professor Seeley suggested to me that I should make an analysis of the deposit. This I have been enabled to do through the kindness of the manager (A. Sheridan, Esq.), who was good enough to send me a series of samples of the earth, and the various products prepared from it. The Nutfield Fullers Earth is a heavy blue or yellow clay, with a greasy feel and an earthy fracture. The sample No. 1 contained 27·47 per cent. and No. 2, 29·56 per cent. of water before drying.

The sample of Gault, of which the analysis is given below, was obtained from the Clay Pits at Dunton Green, which I visited with the “London Geological Field Class” during June last. At this place the Gault rests upon a bed of reddish yellow sand (Lower Greensand), which is mixed in certain proportions with the Gault clay to form bricks. This sand, of which I also give an analysis, is very moist when first taken from the bed, but very rapidly becomes dry, upon exposure to the air, so that it afterwards loses very little more water at 100°C. The Gault, as taken from the pit, contained 26·68 per cent of moisture, but upon ignition of the dried substance, in a muffle furnace, it becomes so hard that it will scratch glass easily.