LITERARY NOTICES. 



273 



or other special character of the exposure 

 may prove inapplicable to the representative 

 of the same group in some other situation. 

 The systems, as they are known in North 

 America, are then described in their order, 

 beginning with the Laurentian, in the first 

 ninety pages ; and the typical localities and 

 general extent of each are noticed. The 

 rest of the volume is occupied with the 

 paleontological manual ; and this is intro- 

 duced with an ample exposition of the rules 

 of nomenclature. The list is classified, be- 

 ginning with the plants, and passing through 

 the animal orders to the batrachians, each 

 sub-kingdom and class being introduced by a 

 text describing its characteristics and its or- 

 ders. The names of all the species, arranged 

 in alphabetical order, are given under the 

 genera to which they belong, with the au- 

 thors of them, the dates of publication, and, 

 frequently, references to two places of pub- 

 lication. The cases are marked when ge- 

 neric and specific names are not known to 

 occur in the Palaeozoic rocks of North Amer- 

 ica ; of synonyms, names not described as 

 required by the rules of nomenclature, pre- 

 occupied names, and names condemned for 

 any other reason ; and erroneous references 

 of species to genera are pointed out and cor- 

 rected. A large proportion of the genera 

 are illustrated by engravings of typical 

 species. 



Fort Ancient. The Great Prehistoric 

 Earthwork of Warren County, Ohio. 

 Compiled from a Careful Survey, etc., by 

 Warren K. Moorehead. Cincinnati : 

 Robert Clarke & Co. Pp. 129, with 

 Plates and Map. 



Fort Ancient is a very extensive and im- 

 portant " mound-builders' " earthwork, over- 

 looking the Little Miami River and its fail- 

 road, a few miles above Cincinnati. It is 

 described by the author as " the greatest of 

 all prehistoric earthworks in the Mississippi 

 basin." Mr. Moorehead conceived that a 

 full account of so remarkable a structure was 

 desirable, and prepared himself conscien- 

 tiously to furnish it. The first step was to 

 make a survey, and for this, with a corps of 

 competent workers, he went over the entire 

 structure many times, and carried on a work 

 which, he trusts, will need no additional re- 

 searches to complete. In this he was as- 

 sisted by Mr. Gerard Fowke and Mr. Clinton 



vol. xxxvn. — 21 



Cowen. The main purposes of the writer 

 have been to set before the public, in as 

 brief and exact a manner as possible, the 

 prominent features and wonders of the 

 monument, and to insist upon its purchase 

 and preservation by some historical or scien- 

 tific association. The fort is situated upon 

 a plateau standing close to the river-bank, 

 at a height of 269 feet above low water, 

 and about 900 feet above the level of the 

 sea. The irregular contour of the work is 

 18,712 feet in length, but a diameter drawn 

 from north to south is only 4,993 feet long. 

 The structure consists of two large incis- 

 ures, called the old and new forts, connected 

 by a narrower passage-way which the author 

 calls the isthmus. At the southern end of 

 the isthmus, where it is narrowest, is the 

 " great gateway," guarded by a mound on 

 either side. Opposite it, at about one third 

 of the length of the isthmus, is the " Cres- 

 cent Gateway." The space between these 

 gateways is called the " Middle Fort," and 

 appears to have been the strongest part of 

 the work. Numerous graves, skeletons, and 

 remains of human work were found in and 

 around the fortifications, and evidences of an 

 ancient village site in the valley. The whole 

 proves to the mind of the author that Fort 

 Ancient was built for defense ; that it was a 

 rallying-point for a large population inhabit- 

 ing a district of considerable extent, and was 

 often the scene or the witness of fierce battles. 

 It may have been used as a fortified village 

 site, with people living within its walls all 

 the time — not enough to command the in- 

 closure, but enough to keep it in good repair. 

 A high opinion is expressed of the ability of 

 the constructors. They showed extraordi- 

 nary patience, and "have left evidence of 

 the possession of qualities seldom found 

 among savages. They engineered the posi- 

 tion of the walls with reference to the most 

 secure places with admirable skill." With ' 

 no tools, such as we use, and wicker baskets 

 and skins as the only means of conveyance, 

 by mere strength of hand and back, they 

 accomplished a work before which we, even 

 with our modern implements, would hesitate. 

 The selection of the site, " the best for the 

 purpose which the valley of the Ohio offers " ; 

 the skill with which the walls were carried 

 around the entire inclosure ; the care with 

 which weak and exposed points have been 



