in north-western Samland, and forms a covering of from 5 to 20 feet in thickness, spread regularly over all older deposits. The destruction of the Tertiary strata had commenced before they were overflowed, no doubt by means of the masses of ice which were driven against the deeper beds. On thawing, the ice deposited the débris and stones with which it was laden. This explains the great gravel-bed which often lies imbedded in marl, near the remains of the Tertiary strata (as in Fig. IV., near A and E a). Often, however, surrounded by Diluvial masses, occur large blocks derived from the uppermost beds of the Browncoal-formation; they fell down by the destruction of the middle beds, and remain lying in the mud. Thus were large blocks of the older rocks washed away. In Fig. II. we see such removals, both in the east near Neukuhren and Wangen, as also westward near Georgswalde and Warnicken, -isolated remnants of the older beds being still seen projecting from their foundations. In Fig. IV., also, is exhibited on a larger scale the last-named coast district, where near A is seen one such remnant, and near E the step-like fractured margin of the Tertiary beds. These denudations, however, were also sometimes accompanied by dislocations, which were caused by the pressure of the masses of mud and sand which were thrown on the older beds. One such dislocation is shown in Fig. II. in the district of Rauschen; and near Rosenort on the west coast we have the remarkable case of the older Glauconitic beds being upheaved, and not only covered by Diluvial masses, but having also the same beneath them,-where they appear to have been thrust by lateral pressure. In the deeper erosions occur marl and sand, not in a regular succession of beds, but thrust without order into each other, or heaped up against one another. Such a mode of arrangement cannot be explained in deposits from water; but they may nevertheless have arisen in two ways. At one time the ice-islands of the diluvial sea abundantly destroyed again the deposits which they had themselves formed, and the gaps which thus arose were filled up with other material. Still more generally it happened that the half-floating mud was forced upwards, by the weight of the sand which was heaped up on it, to such points where this pressure was accidentally slighter; by these means the mud penetrated into the overlying sand, as may be seen in Fig. IV. near B; or the sand beds were heaved up and thus fractured, as the sand beds D have been heaved up through the marl. All these changes took place slowly and in slightly agitated water. The proof of that is found in the circumstance that the broken and transported masses of the older beds are often found very near the places where they were detached; and great deposits of Tertiary sand are found with the ordinary Diluvial sand in the Diluvium, having been derived from the denuded portions of the Browncoal-formation. After the deposition of the Older Diluvium the land was raised up above the water, and lay dry for a long time. At that time, probably, numerous hills were formed as Dunes, for they can be proved in some cases; and thus by means of wind and water the land probably obtained its present features; but it was once more overflowed. The depression this time seems to have progressed faster and to a greater depth than before, so that the ice-islands drifting towards the south but slightly eroded the surface; and, on their melting, only the blocks which they had transported were deposited; and these are imbedded abundantly in the associated sand and loam. After this the land once again emerged out of the water; and thus it is that through alternate upheavals and depressions it has gradually risen to the height which it now possesses; but the waves of the sea still continue the work of destruction which they commenced thousands of years ago, and yearly lessen the area of the country. If, however, other countries can only complain of the damage which the sea has inflicted on their coasts, it here amply repairs the loss it has caused. When lashed by storms, it tears up the Amber out of the deep-lying beds of Amber-earth; by the help of sea-weeds torn up at the same time from the bed of the sea the Amber is heaved upwards, and carried on the surface of the water; and when the storm abates and the sea becomes calm, it carries the Amber, together with pieces of older Browncoal and fresh marine plants, on to the beach, where a hundred hands are waiting to intercept it with nets. That is the "Amber-drawing," a trying occupation, which demands a strong and hardy frame, for the cold winter storms yield the richest booty. But many pieces of Amber, nevertheless, do not reach the shore, for the largest and heaviest pieces have already sunk to the bottom, and lie between the large boulders which cover the sea-bed. Therefore, in calm weather and with clear water, the inhabitants of the coast go in boats, and turning the stones with hooks fastened on long poles, endeavour to discover the Amber in the interspaces, and to draw it up with small nets. This is called "Striking for Amber."* For a long time people were contented with what Amber they could recover by these means from the sea; and these modes of acquisition still furnish the greatest quantity of the Amber which is obtained from Samland for commerce. For the last ten years, however, on all points of the coast where the Amber-earth does not lie too deep beneath the sea-level, endeavours have been made to lay it bare and to obtain the Amber immediately from it. The circumstance that it is overlain by a bed of very loose sand, which contains a large quantity of water, has hitherto impeded the attempts to open out the Amberearth by subterranean mining-works. And to make this possible, * "Bernstein stechen." and therefore to render accessible the stores of Amber which lie hidden in the interior of the country, will be the next progress in the acquisition of these, in so many respects, remarkable fossils. For the benefit of such students as desire to inform themselves more fully concerning the natural history of Amber, we append a list of the principal books and papers which have at various times been published on the subject; and we also venture to illustrate the paper of our contributor with a plate, which will convey some idea of the organic remains usually found in this fossil resin. For the accuracy of the list of works, therefore, as well as for the second plate, the Editors of this Journal are responsible. The specimens figured in that plate belong to the National Collection in the British Museum; and for the facts relating to the Insects embodied in the annexed explanation of it, we are indebted to the kind and able assistance of Mr. Frederick Smith, of the Entomological Department of that Museum.-EDITORS. EXPLANATION OF THE QUARTO PLATE. Fig. I. shows the north-western part of the coast of Samland. In both figures the tinted portions distinguish those places where the Tertiary beds crop out above the sea-level. The white portions are those where Quaternary or Postpliocene deposits only are visible. The principal divisions of the Tertiary rocks are distinguished by different lines. A signifies the deposit of the "Glauconitic Sand"; B the Lower Stage, B the Middle Stage, and B & the Upper Stage, of the Browncoal-formation. The boundaries of the Synclinal Trough, which the Second Stage fills up, are shown by dotted lines. Fig. III. exhibits vertical sections on a larger scale through three points on the north coast and three on the west. Here A distinguishes the deposit of the "Glauconitic Sand"; a, the "Amber-earth"; b, the associated "Quicksand "; c, the "Green Sand"; d, the so-called "White Wall"; e, the "Green Wall." B is the true Brown-coal formation; also 1, the "Quartz-sand'; 2, the intercalated claybeds, which are represented on the west coast by three members, 2′, 2", 2""; 3, the Middle Clay-bed: 4, the "Striped Sand"; 5, the Lower Brown-coal; 6, the Upper Clay-bed; 7, "Micaceous Sand"; 8, "Coal Sand"; and 9, the Upper Brown-coal. C, Diluvial deposits:-a, coarse sand, gravel, and large boulders;, Marl; y, ordinary sand; d, redeposited Tertiary sand;-all these (a to d) belong to the Older Diluvium; is the Younger Diluvium. Fig. IV. shows on a much larger scale than Fig. II. a small part of the coast near Warnicken, where the Tertiary beds are in great part denuded and replaced by Diluvium, exhibiting also the position of the Diluvial masses. The letters and numbers upon it have the same signification as in Fig. III. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE OF ORGANIC REMAINS FOUND IN AMBER. Fig. 1.-A Dipterous Insect belonging to the European genus Leptis. Three times the Natural Size. Fig. 2.-A Dipterous Insect belonging to the European genus Echinomyia. Enlarged one-half. Fig. 3.-A species of the Blind Travelling Ants (Formicida) of Africa, being either Anomma rubella or a closely-allied species. Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 4. A species of the spined Formicide belonging to the South American and African genus Polyrhachis. Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 5.-A Dipterous Insect belonging to a new genus of Muscidæ, allied to the European genus Tachinus. Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 6.-A Clicking Beetle belonging to the European genus Cardiophorus. Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 7.-A species of Heteromerous Beetle belonging to the family Cistelidæ, and allied to the genus Statira, in which, as in the fossil, the eyes coalesce. Three times the Natural Size. Fig. 8.-A species of the tropical family of Beetles, termed Eumolpida, and probably belonging to the genus Calasposoma. Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 9.-A species of Termes (White Ants). Twice the Natural Size. Fig. 10.-Front view of a Spider belonging to the family Attidæ. Magnified four diameters. Fig. 11.-An oblique Dicotyledonous Leaf. Natural Size. In the above Explanation, the term "European genus "is not used as signifying that the genus is now confined to Europe, but only to show that it is still represented on the Continent. LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKS ON AMBER AND THE ORGANIC REMAINS PRESERVED IN IT. AYCKE, J. C. Fragmente zur Naturgeschichte des Bernsteins. Danzig, 1835. BERENDT, G. K. Die Insekten im Bernstein. Danzig, 1829. Die im Bernstein befindlichen organischen Reste der Vorwelt, gesammelt, und in Verbindung mit Mehreren bearbeitet und herausgegeben:Band 1. Abth. 1: Der Bernstein und die in ihm befindlichen Pflanzenreste der Vorwelt, bearbeitet von H. R. Goeppert und G. C. Berendt. Berlin, 1845. Band 1. Abth. 2: Die im Bernstein befindlichen Crustaceen, Myriapoden, Band 2. Abth. 1: Die im Bernstein befindlichen Hemipteren und Orthop- Band 2. Abth. 2. Die im Bernstein befindlichen Neuropteren der Vorwelt, bearbeitet von F. J. Pictet-Baraban und H. Hagen. Berlin, 1856. BERKELEY, M. J. On three species of Mould detected by Thomas in the Amber of East Prussia. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 2nd Series, vol. ii., 1848, p. 380. BOCK, F. S., Versuch einer kurzen Naturgeschichte des Preussischen Bernsteins, und einer neuen wahrscheinlichen Erklärung seines Ursprungs. Königsberg, 1767. Beschreibung zweyer vom Bernstein durchdrungenen Holzstücke, nebst einigen Anmerkungen über den Ursprung des Bernsteins in Preussen. Halle. Die Naturforscher, vol. xvi., 1781, p. 57. BOLL, E. Geognosie der Deutsche Ostsee-länder. 1846. Ueber Bernstein bei Brandenburg. 1853. DUISBURG, H. von. Zur Bernsteinfauna. Schriften der physikalisch-ökonomische FOTHERGILL. Essay upon the Origin of Amber. Phil. Trans., vol. xliii., 1745, p. 21. Ueber die Abstammung des Bernsteins. Pogg. Ann., vol. On Amber and the Organic Remains found in it. Quart. |