In the Mineralogical Magazine for September, 1930, Dr. Frederick Walker describes 'A tholeiitic phase of the quartz-dolerite magma of central Scotland'. Several pages of the article are devoted to a consideration of the phenomena he has observed in these rocks in their bearing upon certain views which I have expressed. In most respects Dr. Walker has clearly grasped the essential features of my thesis, and his efforts to obtain further information on the various points have been well directed. I am glad to welcome such a discussion as he has given, even though his conclusions are somewhat opposed to mine. In one respect, however, he has apparently overlooked an essential feature of my argument. On this matter, and on some points of evidence given, I should like to present some discussion. I desire also to examine certain other recent papers by Daly and Barth and by Bowen, Schairer, and Willems, in which the views expressed in my article have met with some criticism.

The Dalton volcanoes include all the volcanic groups which rise up at the north-western end of Taiwan (Formosa). They are old extinct volcanoes underlain by highly disturbed Tertiary sediments. Among them Shichisei-zan is the highest and the most prominent, rising up to 1108.7 metres above sea-level. It is mostly made up of hornb]ende-andesite, hypersthene-hornblende-andesite, and agglomerates. On the western slope of this partly dissected volcano there is a very characteristic cone called Shabō-zan. Its elevation is 643 metres above sea-level, and it is mostly made up of hypersthenehornblende- andesite poured out through the thick accumulation of agglomerates. The andesite here has usually a grey colour, but often passes into a light reddish-brown variety, being sometimes associated with a noritic segregation mass. It is noteworthy that some of the andesites abundantly contain brown hornblende. This mineral also frequently appears, together with brown biotite, in the segregation mass.

Correlated data prove the approximate constancy of the number of oxygen atoms in the unit cells of several nepheline and elaeolite specimens. Thence the number of atoms of each kind per unit cell have been counted. The cell-volumes and optical properties have slso been correlated with the chemical composition. An approximate structure is suggested which, together with the chemical work, explains the variable composition of nepheline. The contents of the unit cell may be written Si16−nAln(Na,K,½Ca)n where n ranges from 6.6 to 8.2. Kaliophilite is shown to possess a much larger cell than that of nepheline, and its Lauegram exhibits higher symmetry. 'Pseudonepheline' (rich in potassium) has a slightly greater cell-volume than normal nepheline, but its Lauegram is almost identical and its axial ratio only slightly less.

The object of this note is to place on record an interesting occurrence of vanadiferous nodules on the coast of South Devon. I have to thank Lord Clinton, the owner of the property on which the nodules occur, for the assistance and encouragement he has given me in this matter, and Lieut.-General Sir William Furse, the Director of the Imperial Institute, for kindly arranging to have chemical analyses carried out by Miss Hilda Bennett in the Institute Laboratory. I also have to thank Mr. Thomas Crook, of the Imperial Institute, for the trouble he has taken to write up this short paper on the basis of my notes and the laboratory work done at the Institute.