During the period of about ten years which included that of Mallet's death—say, five years before and five after—the study of earthquakes made rapid progress. Among the more prominent contributors were M. S. de Rossi and G. Mercalli in Italy, F. A. Forel and A. Heim in Switzerland, E. Suess in Austria, J. F. J. Schmidt in Greece, T. Oldham in India, and C. G. Rockwood and C. E. Dutton in the United States. Their work, however, was mainly carried out on the old lines. For the introduction of new methods of study and of a new spirit infused into seismology, we are indebted to the small band of early British teachers in Japan, to J. A. Ewing, T. Gray, and, above all, to J. Milne. In the new epoch, now opening, when seismology demanded the whole energy of its supporters as well as their active co-operation, it is not, I think, too much to claim that Milne lifted the science to an altogether different and higher plane.

To illustrate the value of graphic methods when changes in a number of distinct structural elements are studied, examples may be taken from the Carboniferous corals. These are well suited to the purpose, because thin slices yield so much information and are easily measured. In Fig. 4 a diagrammatic section is shown of one of the most highly organized corals, which exhibits the following important structural units: epitheca, tabulæ, septa, dissepiments, tabellæ, lamellæ, columella.

The apparent conflict in palæontological evidence is still more aggravated if the views of several able palæobotanists be taken into consideration. Plant-remains have been frequently found from the Shansian rocks in various parts of northern China. They amount to a copious flora. Numerous species are described by Newberry, Schenk, Abbado, Zeiller, Zalescky, and Yokoyama. In some cases these writers agree in assigning the flora to the Upper Carboniferous. The presence of Tœniopleris multinervis, which is said to have never been found in Europe below the Autunian stage, and a number of its allied species, such as Lepidodendron gaudryi, Calamites cf. leioderma, has, however, led Zeiller to conclude that the coal-bearing Shansian rocks in the Shan-si Province range from the highest Stephanian to the Lower Permian. Schenk also holds that the coal-bearing series of Kai-ping, eastern Chi-li, and that of Pen-hsihu, Manchuria, are of Permian age.

AMONG the Echinoids from the Limestone Lenticles of Shenley Hill (Leighton Buzzard), sent to me from the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge (see Geol. Mag., Vol. LVIII, 1921, p. 57), one specimen of the many Pyriniform examples at once attracted attention by its preservation, relatively large size, and superficial resemblance to Holectypus. A brief comment on the specimen (No. 3 of the series) was made in the note already cited; further and more detailed examination, preceded by removal of matrix, has revealed additional features of much interest. Though averse to diagnosis of new genera or species based on single specimens, I have felt compelled to adopt that course in this case, in default of acquaintance with any described types to which the Shenley Echinoid could be assimilated. It is quite likely that other specimens, congeneric if not conspecific, may exist in collections; according to their preservation or the idiosyncrasy of individuals they may be labelled Holectypus, Conulus, or Pyrina with equal probability. It is even possible that some of the numerous species of Pyrina (including Pseudopyrina and Globator), already described, may be referable to the genus here introduced; but more details of morphology than are often supplied in systematic diagnoses and figures are needed before order can come out of the chaotic series of Cretaceous Echinonëidæ.

IMMEDIATELY east of Bloxham Station is a cutting through the Marlstone and basement beds of the Upper Lias. The Liassic deposits are now for the most part hidden by vegetation, but when the line was made and for some years subsequently large numbers of fossils—principally ammonites—were collected from them. Several geologists have published particulars concerning the section. The writer has in his collection a number of ammonites from here, which have been examined by Dr. A. E. Trueman. The object of this communication is to place on record the result of his examination.