The Geologist/Volume 5/Foreign Correspondence
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
Professor Schrœtter communicated to the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vienna, on the 17th October, that a litha-mica, containing more than three per cent, of rubidium, cæsium, and lithium, has been lately found in Saxony, and that samples of it had been sent to Professor Bunsen, at Heidelberg. Mr. Seybel, the owner of an extensive chemical manufactory at Liesing, near Vienna, has lately procured a large quantity of lepidolite from Rozena, Moravia, and of lithium-mica from the Zimwald, Bohemia, for the preparation of the three metals above-mentioned. From the results of Professor Peters' recent examination of the miocene strata of Hidas, in southern Hungary, and from the observations made by M. Hantken on the foraminiferal strata in the Cerithian limestone series, near Buda-Pesth, there appear additional proofs of the existence, in Hungary, of marine deposits containing a fauna analogous to that of the Cerithian strata in the older marine deposits of the Vienna basin.[1]
Dr. Lorenz has given the following information regarding the Gulf of Quarnero:[1]— "This gulf, situated at the north-east end of the Adriatic, between the Illyrian and Hungarian shores, a square degree in extent, receives uniformly cold freshwater currents, which impart to the waters of the gulf a temperature below the average of that of the Adriatic. The atmospheric currents affecting it are either regular or casual; among the latter the 'Bora,' coming from the north, after having passed over the south Alpine ranges, is remarkable for its impetuosity and low temperature. The difference between high and low water, as observed during five successive years along the whole coast from Quarnero to Lesina, does not exceed a foot and a half. The tide rises only once in twenty-four hours, loses two days every month, and does not seem to be more influenced by lunar phases than by winds or other transient causes. The drift-currents depend chiefly on the atmospheric pressure and currents obtaining within the narrow channels separating the islets from each other; and, by taking into account the existing meteorological condition, they may be easily known and foreseen; a great advantage to the vessels navigating this small archipelago.
"The vegetable organisms in the Quarnero are distributed among one super-littoral and four marine zones, having their maxima at the respective depths of 12, 8, 20, and 45 fathoms. The higher these zones the more they number new forms and bear a characteristic type. The Diatomaceæ, analogous in this respect to the animal organisms, follow a different rule of distribution, their new forms becoming more numerous with increasing depth. The habitats of nearly 600 species of Algæ (among which are above 300 Diatomaceæ) have been ascertained.
"The 700 animal species (Infusoria excepted) which have been observed in the Quarnero (the greatest depth of which is not above 50 or 60 fathoms) differ in their distribution from the vegetables; the maxima of their submarine zones having the depths of 12, 4, 15, 30, and 50 fathoms.
"The organic character of the Adriatic shores is different from the fa- cies of other less circumscribed seas, chiefly in consequence of its anomalous tides ; a circumstance to be specially considered if ever artificial oyster- breeding should be intended, such as already exists on the Atlantic coasts of France under quite different physical conditions.[1]
"A small colony of 'Boreal' forms, characterized by the presence of Nephrops Norvegicus, has taken possession of the depths wherever springs of cold freshwater, rising from the bed of the Gulf, have afforded them favourable conditions of existence. If compared with other marine faunæ, the fauna of the Quarnero shows notable differences only in its higher zones. At 30 fathoms depth it is nearly identical with the Baltic fauna of the same zone; and at 50 fathoms the faunas of all European seas may be regarded as being quite uniform in character."