The vast Tertiary formations on the flanks of the Sierra Nevada, so important as being the locality of the hydraulic mining operations, are not of marine origin, as has been so often asserted. The history of these deposits, their position, age, and other characters, are exceedingly interesting; but it is impossible, in this connection, to do more than hint at some of their main features.

There is perhaps no subject connected with the geology of the Pacific coast, in regard to which there are so many misapprehensions, as there are in what has been published by geologists on the nature and distribution of the detrital deposits which are so extensively worked by the methods known as hydraulic and tunnel mining. It has been assumed that these deposits are of marine origin, and that they originally extended over the whole western slope of the Sierra Nevada, a condition of things which, were it true, it would be of vast importance for California to know; but the real facts of the case are entirely different.

In the first place, these deposits are not of marine origin, as is proved by the fact that, although frequently found to contain impressions of leaves, masses of wood and imperfect coal, and even whole buried forests, as well as the remains of land animals, and occasionally those of fresh water, not a trace of any marine production has ever been found in them.

Again, these detrital deposits are not distributed over the flanks of the Sierra in any such way as they would have been if they were the result of the action of the sea. On the contrary, there is every reason to believe that they consist of materials which have been brought down from the mountain-heights above and deposited in preexisting valleys: sometimes in very narrow accumulations, simple beds of ancient rivers, and at other times in wide lake-like expansions of former water-courses; and this under the action of causes similar to those now existing, but probably of considerably greater intensity. This deposition of detritus, for the most part auriferous, took place during the later Pliocene epoch, and not as late as the drift or diluvial period, as is abundantly proved by the character of the remains of plants and land animals which are imbedded in it.

The deposition of this auriferous detritus was succeeded, throughout the whole extent of the Sierra Nevada, by a tremendous outbreak of volcanic energy, during which the auriferous gravel was covered by heavy accumulations of volcanic sediments, ashes, pumice, and the like, finally winding up by a general outpouring of lava, which naturally flowed from the summits of the Sierra through the valleys, into the lake-like expansions, filling them up and covering over the auriferous gravels, which were to remain for ages, as it were, in a hidden treasure chamber, concealed under hundreds of feet in thickness of an almost indestructible material.

The effect of the denudation which has taken place since these streams of lava flowed down the mountains, has been most extraordinary. For now, these deposits of gravel and overlying volcanic materials, instead of occupying the depressions of the surface, are found forming high plateaux between the present river cañons and flat-topped ridges, known as "Table mountains," hundreds, or even thousands, of feet above the present river beds. Thus the topography of the country is exactly the reverse of what

it was at the commencement of the present geological epoch: what were once valleys are now ridges, and the ridges of former times were where the immense cañons of the rivers flowing down the western slope of the Sierra now are. The proof of this assertion, and the interesting bearing it has on the tunnel and hydraulic mining interests of California, will be fully set forth in the Reports of the Survey.

The Mammalian remains found in the tunnel and placer diggings of California seem to belong to two distinct epochs. The oldest represents the Pliocene, the other the Post-tertiary. The former are found under the volcanic beds, the latter in deposits which have been formed since the period of greatest volcanic activity, and which apparently belong to the epoch of Man. For it appears that the facts collected by this Survey, when fully laid before the public, will justify the assertion that the mastodon and elephant, whose remains are so widely and abundantly scattered through California, have been contemporaneous with Man in that region. The above are a few of the more interesting facts developed by the Geological Survey of California, and of which the full details will be laid before the scientific public with as little delay as possible.

4. Metallurgy and Mining.-Particular attention will be paid to these departments of the Survey during its continuance, and no pains will be spared to throw all possible light on the mode of occurrence of the valuable metals and ores, the method of working them, and the processes now in use on the Pacific coast. It is estimated that two volumes will be required for this division of the Report.

5. Botany. It is believed that the progress in this department, under Prof. Brewer's direction, has been sufficient to warrant the assertion that a "Manual of the Botany of California" will form a portion of the work of the Survey. The large collections of plants already made have been distributed to different high authorities in each department, and Prof. Brewer expects to return to the East in a short time, to commence the preparation of such a work as, it is believed, will be a most important help to the study of the botany of the Pacific coast.

6. Zoology. The working up of the zoological collections of the Survey is now in progress under Dr. Cooper's direction. It has not yet been decided how many volumes will be required for their full description and illustration.

The publication of so large a mass of materials will necessarily occupy several years, and it will of course depend on the action of future Legislatures how fully and how rapidly our results are laid before the public in a printed form. Three volumes are already provided for, and, as has been already stated, they will be sold at a moderate price, and the proceeds, as required by law, paid over to the common school fund of the State.

Northampton, Mass., Aug. 1, 1864.

J. D. WHITNEY.

SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE.

I. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS.

1. On a new class of Sulphur compounds.-VON OEFELE has succeeded in shewing that sulphur, like selenium, tellurium, lead, tin and many other elements, is capable of forming a true organic base with ethyl, and doubtless, therefore, with other organic radicals. The iodid of the new radical is easily formed by the direct combination of sulphid of ethyl with iodid of ethyl, the reaction being expressed by the equation 2CH.SCH ̧I⇒(C1H ̧) ̧§2I.

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The new iodid is a beautiful crystalline body which is easily soluble in water and alcohol and crystallizes from its solutions unchanged. Nitrate of silver precipitates iodine from an aqueous solution of iodid of triethylsulfyl as iodid of silver, while a nitrate of the new base remains in solution. Oxyd of silver and water digested with the iodid yield the hydrated oxyd of triethyl-sulfyl, which in the exsiccator gives transparent deliquescent crystals. The oxyd of triethyl-sulfyl is a very powerful fixed base, a solution of which exhibits a strong alkaline reaction and precipitates metallic oxyds from their solutions like caustic potash. It forms neutral salts with acids; the sulphate and nitrate are crystalline and deliquescent. The chlorplatinate (CH)3S2 Cl, Pt Cl2 crystallizes easily from the aqueous solution in long prisms. The author is engaged in investigations which appear to show that nitric acid converts triethyl-sulfyl into a new base which contains S2 as a hexatomic instead of a tetratomic element, the hydrated oxyd being probably (CH)3S2020, HO, and which perhaps still possesses weak basic properties. Journ. of the Chemical Society of London, xi, 105. W. G.

2. On a very sensitive reaction for Iron.-NATANSON has observed that sulpho-cyanid of iron is soluble in ether, and that when a solution con. taining a trace of peroxyd of iron and sulpho-cyanid of potassium but exhibiting no visible red tint is agitated with ether, the latter assumes a rose color resembling that produced in chloroform by traces of iodine. Of course the precautions usual in testing for iron by sulpho-cyanid of potassium must be taken in employing Natanson's process. By means of it, the author easily detected iron in a solution of chlorid of platinum, in which, on account of the yellow color, sulphocyanid of potassium as usually employed, produces no sensible change of color.

W. G.

3. On the conversion of mono-carbon acids into the corresponding more highly carbonated di-carbon acids.-KOLBE and MÜLLER, independently of each other, have succeeded in preparing malonic from acetic acid, and the latter chemist has also obtained succinic from propionic acid by the same process. When mono-chloracetic acid is heated with a solution of cyanid of potassium it is easily decomposed and yields cyanacetic acid, and chlorid of potassium. Chloracetic ether undergoes a precisely similar change when boiled with an alcoholic solution of cyanid of potassium, cyanacetic ether being formed. When cyanacetic acid is boiled with a large excess of potash, ammonia is given off and malonate of potAM. JOUR. SCI.-SECOND SERIES, VOL. XXXVIII, No. 113.-SEPT., 1864.

ash is formed, from which pure malonic acid is easily obtained. Kobel represents the reaction in this case by the equation

KO, C2 {{[C2O2]0+K0.3H0=2KO.[C2H2)"[CO2],+H ̧N.

Müller obtained the same results by boiling cyanacetic ether with caustic potash, while by treating chloro-propionic acid by the same process a small quantity of a crystalline acid was prepared, which on being heated, emitted the suffocating vapor characteristic of succinic acid. Both authors promise a further investigation of this very interesting subject. Journal of the Chemical Society, Ser. 2, vol. xi, p. 109.

W. G.

4. On Thallium.-CROOKES has published the first part of a monograph of thallium, in which all the known facts in regard to this metal are collected and systematically arranged. For the details, many of which have already appeared in this Journal, we must refer to the original paper. We design at present only to notice a single point, the relations, namely, of thallium to the alkaline metals. Crookes maintains that it belongs to the same group with silver and lead, (sic) a view which, as he says, is generally taken in England. It seems difficult to understand how any chemist at the present day can place lead and silver in the same natural group, silver being monatomic while lead is either diatomic or tetratomic according to circumstances. All the relations of thallium show plainly that it is essentially monatomic, and the very interesting discovery by Church of a silver alum only illustrates the analogy between silver and the alkaline metals which are also monatomic. That potassium and silver are at different ends of the scale, so far as their electrical relations are concerned, is of no consequence whatever in determining their natural position with respect to each other, since the difference is one of degree and not one of kind. As gold with the equivalent 197 is also monatomic, we may expect hereafter to discover a gold-alum or at least a salt in which gold and potassium may replace each other isomorphously. It appears to us, after a careful examination of all the facts, incontestible that thallium, like potassium and silver, belongs to the monatomic group of elements, and that in its chemical relations it forms a connecting link between these two metals which is of the greatest interest and value for the purposes of classification. Further investigation may perhaps show that indium, which like thallium and the alkaline metals gives a single spectral line at moderate temperatures, belongs to the same group. w. G.-Journal of the Chemical Society, Ser. 2, xi, 112. 5. On Cobaltic acid.-WINKLER has observed that when finely divided metallic cobalt is heated with a strong solution of caustic potash, a deep blue solution is formed which proves on analysis to be a cobaltate of potash. Cobaltic acid has the formula CoO3, and belongs therefore to the group of manganic, ferric and chromic acids. The blue solution is only formed and only exists in the presence of a large excess of caustic potash deoxydizing agents and even the addition of a large quantity of water easily decompose it. Ether does not dissolve cobaltate of potash but forms a brown zone where the solutions are in contact, while, on shaking, the cobalt solution becomes brown and deposits a hydrate of the sesquioxyd. The author thinks that this reaction may be used as a test for cobalt. w. G.-Journal für prakt. Chemie, xci, p. 213 and 351.

6. New method of reduction especially applicable to a large number of metals. Mr. Poumarède has proposed to use the vapor of zinc as a reducing agent, and has obtained by this means a large number of interesting products. Peligot exhibited to the Academy of Sciences, at its session, March 28, specimens of nickel and cobalt thus made, and also magnificent crystals of iron.

7. Bromid of potassium, a powerful narcotic.-Bromid of potassium after having been used as a remedy against diphtheria, photophobia, etc., has been proved to be a powerful narcotic. It produces its effects without any cerebral congestion, and therefore without either pain in the head or constipation, and it has therefore great advantages over opium.

8. Elements of Chemistry, Theoretical and Practical; by WILLIAM ALLEN MILLER, M.D., LL.D, &c. Part I, Chemical Physics. From the third London edition. New York, John Wiley. 1864. 512 pp. 8vo.We had occasion in a late No. of this Journal to notice the issue by Mr. Wiley, of a portion of the first volume of Miller's Chemistry, viz: that treating of Magnetism and Electricity. We are now glad to announce the appearance of the volume complete. It is considerably enlarged above the first and second edition, both by including matter formerly contained in the second volume and by important additions made necessary from the progress of science, The subjects of Dialysis, Spectral Lines, Specific Heat and Diathermancy of Gases and Vapors, and Heat of Combination, are fully discussed with reference to the most recent investigations. From its fullness, systematic arrangement and lucid style, this volume deserves the warmest praise, and commends itself equally as a text book and work of reference. We look for the speedy completion of the other volumes.

9. Manual of Qualitative Chemical Analysis; by Dr. C. R, FRESENIUS: from the last English and German editions, edited by Prof. SAMUEL W. JOHNSON of Yale College. 8vo, pp. 434. John Wiley, New York. 1864. The new edition of this excellent manual fills a want which has long been felt by chemists; for, in addition to the matter found in the earlier editions, it contains the properties of all the rarer elements, and includes a full account of spectral analysis, dialysis, and the reactions of the alkaloids, Prof. Johnson has substituted the accurate and plain spectrum-plate, recently published by Kirchhof and Bunsen, in place of the incomplete and erroneous colored spectrum plate contained in the foreign editions, and has also added numerous notes, making the work complete to the date of publication, The value of this text-book is too well recognized to be enlarged upon here; it has already passed through eleven German, and five English editions,

10. On the Nature of Heat-vibrations; by Mr. JAMES CROLL.-In a most interesting paper on Radiant Heat, by Professor Tyndall, read before the Royal Society in March last, it is shown conclusively that the period of heat-vibrations is not affected by the state of aggregation of the molecules of the heated body; that is to say, whether the substance be in the gaseous, the liquid, or perhaps the solid condition, the tendency of its molecules to vibrate according to a given period remains unchanged. The force of cohesion binding the molecules together exercises no effect on the rapidity of vibration.