During recent years the nature of species has been frequently discussed by biologists, or, at least, by students of recent animals and plants, but much less attention has been paid to the subject by palaeontologists. Nevertheless, in palaeontology, as in neontology, as animals and plants are subjected to a more intensive study it is becoming increasingly difficult to make the concept of species fit the facts of nature.

The fragment of silicified tree stem identified in the preceding paper by Mr. W. N. Edwards as a Dadoxylon from the Upper Carboniferous of Warwickshire was found in the gravel pit at Tiptree Heath just west of the King's Arms. This pit is at 269 feet above sea-level on the summit of the ridge that runs from Wickham Bishop, towards Colchester. The gravel is part of an extensive sheet which is shown on the Geological Survey Map (sheet 47) as Glacial Gravel. Dr. A. E. Salter (Proc. Geol. Soc., xix. 1905, p. 31) recorded from this pit Bunter debris, sarsens, radiolarian chert, rhyolite, and the green ash associated with it, and Carboniferous chert, with crinoids.

1. A belt of gneiss of dioritic composition lies along the west side of the Togo Range, and is exposed at intervals practically all the way from Pode to Atakpame.

2. Associated with it are hornblende- and mica-schists, garnet-amphibolites, and hypersthene-gneisses resembling rocks of the charnockite series. These last form the greater part of Agu Mountain, and also occur at several places along the foot of the Togo scarp.

3. The valley of the Dsawoë River appears to be in large part underlain by gabbro and dolerite types of rock, with associated dyke rocks.

4. A tract of garnetiferous biotite-gneiss, partly granitic in composition, occupies that part of the basin of the Amu River due south of Atakpame. It is associated with schists similar to those accompanying the dioritic gneiss.

5. Basic intrusions occur in the gneisses, e.g. serpentine at Djeti and pyroxenite north of Pode. A pyroxenite north of Akata is intrusive in rocks of the Togo series. No granitic intrusions were found.

6. The rocks described form a basement upon which the rocks of the Togo series and other younger ones rest.

The majority of the crinoids recorded in this paper are from Penton Linns and a few from Harelawhill and Peterscrook in Liddesdale on the Scottish border. Peterscrook is really on the English side of the Liddel, which here forms the border line, but being quite a short distance from the other localities, it is thought advisable to include it here. The specimens in my own collection are the result of five visits at various times during recent years, the first of which, in the autumn of 1920, I was accompanied by my lamented friend, the late Mr. Robert Dunlop. My companion on the three following visits was Mr. James L. Begg, of Glasgow, and on the fifth visit Mr. J. G. Duncan, late of the Royal Scottish Museum and now of Kirkcaldy. To our combined efforts the following results are due. An account of these results may be of interest more especially since the crinoid fauna bears a remarkable resemblance to the “Woodocrinus” fauna discovered many years ago at Richmond in Yorkshire and first made known to geologists in the pages of the Geologist and later in the Geological Magazine.

The object of this article is to draw attention to the patterns found in surface deposits of Iceland which are attributable to frost action and alternating frost and thaw, and to point out that such structures may be preserved in sediments, as valuable indicators of ancient climates.

In a recent paper on the age of the East Fife volcanoes, Mr. Balsillie has laid stress on the occurrence of xenocrysts of soda-microcline in various ashes and agglomerates in East Fife. These Fifeshire occurrences are well known, but it may be of interest to draw attention to the fact that xenocrysts of similar composition have been encountered in at least two other Scottish localities.

It is now generally accepted that there is no essential difference between igneous intrusion and the deposition of the minerals which fill the deep veins. Both igneous rocks and deep veins were formed from magmatic material, their differences being due to successive differentiation and not to difference in origin.

Since this subject is now again under discussion by geologists, it may be of interest to recall that in my original paper, published in the American Journal of Geology, 1907, vol. xv, p. 23, and republished and revised in Harper's Monthly, 1907, vol. cxv, p. 120, and in the Scottish Geographical Magazine, 1907, p. 523, this separation was attributed to the great convulsion that occurred at the time of the birth of the Moon, from the side of the Earth. This explanation of the origin of our Moon is at the present time almost universally accepted by astronomers. We see the same phenomenon occurring in many close double stars.

The constitution and origin of anthracite has long been a question of absorbing interest, but until very recently the theories which were brought forward dealing with this subject, owing largely to the insurmountable difficulty of preparing thin slices upon which micropetrological work could be done, have lacked substantial evidence either to support or refute them. Lately, however, a new method which will materially widen our knowledge and advance research on the anthracite problem has been evolved.

A Small quarry was opened about three years ago at Thwaite Head, which lies between the southern ends of Coniston Lake and Windermere. It is on the west side of the road between that hamlet and Hawkshead, and exposes a nearly vertical sill, 40 feet wide, running E.N.E.-W.S.W. in the Bannisdale slates. On the south side a series of joint-planes running parallel to the bedding of the slates and curving inwards at the top have split the igneous rock into flags, while in the body of the rock the jointing is much coarser, so that it is quarried in large blocks. Both the igneous rock and the slates are much decomposed and friable along the southern junction, and it is here a little galena is said to have been found when the quarry was first opened. This is not improbable, as the old Thwaite Head lead mine is situated not far off on the banks of Dale Park Beck.

One of the most interesting results of the exploration of the Galapagos Islands by the Academy's expedition was the discovery of sedimentary fossiliferous strata on several of the islands. A report was prepared with descriptions of the fossils by the writer in 1916, but the publication so far, has been delayed.

The interest attaching to this discovery is so great, the islands having been regarded hitherto as entirely eruptive, that it seems desirable to put on record a brief abstract of the results, as recorded by Mr. Ochsner.

In Appendix I to the Summary of Progress of the Geological Survey for 1921, pp. 118–28, “The Retreat of the Lake District Ice-cap” is dealt with.

For some years past I have paid much attention to the gravels of the Bedford and Cambridge areas, and believe that my observations will be of value as bearing upon palaeolithic classification and the question of correlation.

Although much work has been done in connexion with fossil Ostracoda, little attempt seems to have been made to correlate the results arrived at, and, in consequence, much of the value of the work of such writers as Rupert Jones, R. S. Bassler, E. 0. Ulrich, etc., is in danger of being overlooked. The following is an attempt to collect together in an orderly manner the work of these and other writers, and at the conclusion it will be indicated by reference to the classification of the Purbeck Beds in the Vale of Aylesbury, the use which may be made of these minute fossils to settle questions of great geological importance in cases where no other evidence is forthcoming.