British Association, Professor Philips, who by his labours threw much new light on the paleontology of Devonshire, who, in the Memoirs of the Survey, has contributed an admirable Monograph on the Silurian and other rocks around the Malvern hills, and who, by his lectures and writings, is now constantly advancing geological science in the oldest of our British Universities. "There is yet one subject connected with the Geological Survey to which I must also call your attention-viz., the mineral statistics of the United Kingdom, as compiled with great care and ability by Mr. Robert Hunt, the Keeper of the Mining Records, and published annually in the Memoirs of our establishment. "These returns made a deep impression on the statists of foreign countries who were assembled last year in London at the International Congress. The Government and members of the Legislature are now regularly furnished with reliable information as to our mineral produce, which, until very recently, was not obtainable. By the labours of Mr. Robert Hunt, in sedulously collecting data from all quarters, we now become aware of the fact that we are consuming and exporting about 80,000,000 of tons of coal annually (a prodigious recent increase, and daily augmenting). Of iron ore we raise and smelt upwards of 8,000,000 of tons, producing 3,826,000 tons of pig iron. Of copper ore we raise from our own mines 236,696 tons, which yield 15,968 tons of metallic copper; and from our native metallic minerals we obtain of tin 6,695 tons; of lead, 63,525 tons; and of zinc, 4,357 tons. The total annual value of our minerals and coals is estimated at 26,993,5737., and that of the metals (the produce of the above minerals) and coal at 37,121,3187. "When we turn from the consideration of the home survey to that of the geological surveys in the numerous colonies of Great Britain, I may well reflect with pleasure on the fact that nearly all the leaders of the latter have been connected with, or have gone out from, our home geological survey and the Government School of Mines. “Such were the relations to us of Sir William Logan in Canada, of Professor Oldham in India, with several of his assistants; of Selwyn in Victoria, of my young friend Gould in Tasmania, as well as of Wall in Trinidad; while Barret, in Jamaica, is a worthy pupil of Professor Sedgwick. Passing over the many interesting results which have arisen out of the examination of these distant lands, we cannot but be struck with the fact that, while Hindostan (with the exception of the higher Himalayan mountains), differs so materially in its structure and fossil contents from Europe, Australia (particularly Victoria) presents, in its paleozoic rocks at least, a close analogy to Britain. Thanks to the ability and zeal of Mr. Selwyn, a large portion of this great auriferous colony has been already surveyed and mapped out in the clearest manner. In doing this he has demonstrated that the productive quartzose veinstones, which are the chief matrix of gold, are mainly subordinate to the lower Silurian slaty rocks, charged with trilobites and graptolites, and penetrated by granite, syenite, and volcanic rocks, occupying vast regions. Mr. Selwyn, aided in the palæontology of his large subject by Professor M'Coy, has also shown how these original auriferous rocks have been worn down at successive periods, one of which abrasions is of pliocene age, another of post-pliocene, and a third the result of existing causes. All these distinctions, as well as the demarcation of the carboniferous, oolitic, and other rocks are clearly set forth. Looking with admiration at the execution of these geological maps, it was with exceeding pain I learnt that some members of the Legislature of Victoria had threatened to curtail their cost, if not to stop their production. As such ill-timed economy would occasion serious regret among all men of science, and would, I know, be also deeply lamented by the enlightened Governor, Sir Henry Barkly, and would at the same time be of lasting disservice to the material advancement of knowledge among the mining classes of the State, let us earnestly hope that the young House of Parliament at Melbourne may not be led to enact such a measure. [Want of space compels us to omit the conclusion of this address, as well as a preceding portion relating to the Permian rocks.] ARTICLE. PAGE XXIV.-Recollections of the Swans and Geese of Hudson's Bay. By George Barnston, Esq..... ..... 337 XXV. On the occurrence of Graptolites in the base of the Lower Silurian. By E. Billings, F.G.S.... 344 XXVI. A short review of the Sylviada or Wood-Warblers found in the vicinity of Montreal. By H. G. Vennor .... 349 at Montreal. By J. W. Dawson, LL.D........... 362 XXVIII. Mr. Barrande on the Primordial Zone in North America, and on the Taconic System of Emmons, By T. Sterry Hunt, M.A.,F.R.S. 374 XXIX.-List of Coleopterous Insects collected in the County of Lincoln, C. W. By D. W. Beadle... 383 Reviews and Notices of Books. Memoirs of George Wilson, M.D., F.R.S.A.,....... 388 Miscellaneous. Botanical Society of Canada....... 394 British Association for the advancement of Science. 398 The Canadian Naturalist and Geologist may be ordered through the following Booksellers : Toronto, Maclear & Co., W. Manson; Hamilton, Geo. Barnes & Co.; Kingston, Thos. W. Robison; Quebec, Middleton & Dawson. All business communications to be addressed, prepaid, to the Publishers. Articles and communications for publication in the Journal may be addressed to the Editors, care of the Publishers. Authors of original articles can have 12 copies of them by giving timely notice; it is too late when the forms are broken up. The next number of this Journal will be published in December 1861. |