A brief summary is given of the origin and geological history of the Red Sea Graben area, based on personal observations in Egypt during the periods 1937–1940 and 1947–9. The author is inclined to believe that the graben zone was formed in its initial stages at the end of the L. Eocene; the movements continued at least till Pleistocene times. The mechanism of the graben is explained as a combination of regional shearing faults together with regional updoming followed by stretch-faulting.

This paper is an elaboration of the author's contribution to the 1938 British Association discussion on the distribution and migration of British Lower Palaeozoic faunas. It concerns mainly the faunas of Western Europe and North America and presents in summary the author's conclusions regarding faunal affinities and directions of immigration of the Asterozoan element in those areas. There is a notable agreement with Stubblefield's conclusions regarding the trilobite element, especially as concerns the Ordovician. The scope of the discussion is here extended to include notes on Devonian and Carboniferous faunas and some Cystid references. The paper concludes with some systematic notes, and three new generic names are proposed.

Gypsum crystals containing 62 per cent by volume of sand are described from a late Raised Beach, where they were found by digging shallow coastal wells. An account is given of their crystallographic form and of the circumstances in which they have been produced. Gypsum has not only been deposited in the voids of the sand but has even moved the individual grains apart. A review is given of earlier records of sandy gypsum crystals, sometimes called “desert roses”, and comparison is made.

An account is given of nepheline-monzonites and essexites from S. Vicente and S. Tiago in the Cape Verde Archipelago.

Present knowledge of the tectonics of the Struan area is summarized. Recumbent-folds and incipient boudinage are recorded in the Struan Flags. The different types of lineation present are described; it is pointed out that all types present are mutually parallel. Simple kinematic analysis of an exposure north-west of Dalnacardoch, demonstrates that the lineations coincide more or less closely, with the axis of rolling; they are therefore b-lineations. The need for further field-work is stressed, and the type of data required is indicated.

To investigate the problem of porosity of wind deposited sands a sample of sand similar to Libyan Desert sand was used for wind tunnel experiments. Average velocity of wind—Average Porosity Curve was obtained for the first time, proving that low wind velocity produces higher porosity than high wind velocity, and that the relationship obtained agrees with the laws governing “vertical” deposition of sands.

The generic name Gigantoproductus nom. nov. is proposed to replace Gigantella Sarycheva, pre-occupied. The status of Kansuella Chao is discussed, and it is suggested that this be retained for the kansuensis group only.