PROGRESS OF GEOLOGICAL STUDIES AT THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE U.S.S.R.

Progress report deals with: 1) Geochronology — potassium-argon — principally Precambrian. Gives dates on Precambrian of Baltic Shield including eastern Sweden, Northeastern Norway, Finland, Karelia, and Kola Peninsula. Gives a correlation of the Precambrian for the entire European U.S.S.R. 2) Depth and origin of magmatic ore deposits using reconstructed erosion surfaces for the major periods of mineralization. The depth zones of ore formation of American and European theories is questioned. 3) Tectonic mapping in crustal studies. And in this conjunction 4) Bathy-metric map of the Pacific has been prepared, conspicuous features are major tectonic and volcanic forms of the ocean bottom, as well as minor detail. Brief mention is made of ore deposits from the ocean. 5) “Weathering Crust” studies of subaerial weathering erosion and deposition, mainly of ancient crusts. 6) Study on the origin and distribution of “agricultural areas”, mainly phosphates. 7) Compilation of a Manual of Minerals now underway.--M.A. Klugman.     

FIRST EXTENDED PLENUM OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMISSION ON GEOMORPHOLOGY,DIVISION OF GEOLOGIC AND GEOGRAPHIC SCIENCES,ACAD. OF SCIENCES OF THE U.S.S.R.

Among the topics covered by the 12th plenary meeting of the Commission of Geomorphology were 1) status of geomorphological research and mapping in the U.S.S.R., 2) application of geomorphology in construction and mineral prospecting, 3) geomorphological training, and 4) standardization of mapping procedures and symbolism. The plenum went on record as favoring maps based primarily on genetic classification of features.—M. Russell.     

NOTE ON THE GEOLOGY OF CHANGSINTIEN-TUOLI AREA,S.W.OF PEIPING

Changsintien is a station on the Peiping-Hankow railway and is situatedabout 20 km S.W.of Peiping.Further S.W.for about 15 km is the townof Tuoli where begins the Tuotsin aerial ropeway for transporting coal and at     

GEOBOTANICAL MAP OF THE U.S.S.R.

A newly compiled geobotanical map of the U.S.S.R. scale 1:4,000,000 is described. Two hundred and ten categories of vegetation are mapped, classified under 15 major groups. The relation of the mapped vegetation units to climate, soil, ground condition (permafrost), watersheds, and major geomorphic features is emphasized. -- M. Russell.     

NOTE ON THE GEOLOGY OF CHANGSINTIEN-TUOLI AREA,S.W.OF PEIPING

Changsintien is a station on the Peiping-Hankow railway and is situatedabout 20 km S.W.of Peiping.Further S.W.for about 15 km is the townof Tuoli where begins the Tuotsin aerial ropeway for transporting coal and at     

ON THE OCCURENCE OF A MONGOLIAN EOCENE PERISSODACTYLE IN THE RED SANDSTONE OF SICHUAN, S. W. HONAN.

In addition to the Turtle Sinohadrianus described by Dr. C. Ping in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of China Vol. Ⅷ, pp. 231—238, the material collected by Mr. C. Li, of the National Institute of Geology, Shanghai,     

THE BOOMING SAND OF KORIZO, SAHARA, AND THE SQUEAKING SAND OF GOWER, S. WALES: A COMPARISON OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO MUSICAL SANDS

The occurrence of the rare phenomena of a booming sand is recorded and an account given of its behaviour in the field. Its sedimentological properties are compared with those of a squeaking sand from the seashore. Both sands are moderately to wellsorted, and show similar roundness and sphericity. The desert sand is silent, whereas the seashore sand can be made to emit a noise in the laboratory. The marked distinction between the sands lies in the mechanical analyses based on the number frequency of grains, rather than on the weight frequency. A “body-centred cubic” packing has been proposed for the desert sand and a “rhombic” packing for the seashore. Shear-box tests on the disturbed sands appear to support the hypothesis of two different modes of packing. The source of the characteristic booming sound is discussed, but it is suggested that an explanation is more likely to be forthcoming from field investigation than from small-scale laboratory studies.     

THE LATE CENOZOIC FORMATIONS OF S.E.SHANSI

Up to 1931 nothing was positively known concerning the Cenozoicformations eventually preserved in S.E.Shansi.The large area bounded by     

THE LATE CENOZOIC FORMATIONS OF S.E.SHANSI

Up to 1931 nothing was positively known concerning the Cenozoicformations eventually preserved in S.E.Shansi.The large area bounded by