Bibliographical Notices. 203 



to the diiferent sections treated of, especially among the reptiles and 

 mammals. The subject of foot-prints is copiously treated, and with 

 regard to the controversy respecting the origin of the so-called Orni- 

 thoidichnites, the editor has judiciously avoided referring them posi- 

 tively to birds. In the section treating of the Batrachia is the follow- 

 ing interesting paragraph (p. 748) respecting the geological distribution 

 of certain genera allied to the Perennibranchiata : — " The Labyrin- 

 thodont reptiles have been regarded as characteristic of the Permian 

 and Triassic epochs, their remains being found in Germany and En- 

 gland in rocks of that age. The commencement of the existence of 

 this family of sauroid-batrachians, however, is of great antiquity, since 

 their rehcs also occur in the formations of the Carboniferous epoch. 

 The Archegosaurus, a batrachian but slightly removed from the true 

 Labyrinthodont type, has left its well-characterized remains in the 

 coal of Germany ; the Parabatrachus, in that of Scotland ; and the 

 allied Bendrerpeton, in the Nova Scotian coal-field. This last-men- 

 tioned great carboniferous formation has, however, afforded fossil 

 evidence of the existence of the true Labyrinthodonts in the coal- 

 period ; for some cranial bones, imbedded in a mass of Pictou coal, 

 lately sent to England by Mr. J. W. Dawson, and the subject of a 

 paper by Prof. Owen, read before the Geological Society, were de- 

 monstrated by that distinguished palaeontologist to have close affinity 

 with the corresponding parts of the skull of the Triassic genera Capi- 

 tosaurus and Metopias.'^ 



The fourth part contains general instructions for the collection of 

 rocks and fossils, and notes of excursions, in illustration of the mode 

 of investigating geological phsenomena. 



In recommending these volumes to the general reader, we feel 

 assured that the editor has efficiently laboured in rendering his por- 

 tion of the work as complete a compendium as possible of the palseon- 

 tological history of the organic beings of which it treats, and in 

 adapting it to the requirements of the geological student of the pre- 

 sent time. 



B^era Plavitarum Flora Germanicce iconibus et description^ 



^■'^^' " illustrata. Fasc. 2/. Auctore R. Caspary. '^ 



We are glad to announce the receipt of this part of the valuable 

 series of plates commenced many years since by the lamented T. F. 

 L. Nees von Esenbeck, and continued by several eminent botanists. 

 So long an interval had elapsed since the publication of Fasc. 25, 

 which contains the illustrations of twenty genera of Dipsacese, Stel- 

 latae, Gentianacese, &c., edited by Dr. Schnizlein ; and Fasc. 26, con- 

 sisting of twenty genera of UmbeUiferse published by Prof. Bischoff, 

 that we had begun to fear that there would be no continuation of the 

 work. Our gratification is therefore the greater to find that it is 

 really to be continued. The recently published part is from the pen 

 and pencil of our correspondent Dr. Robert Caspary, of whose quali- 

 fications for such an undertaking we had the opportunity of forming 

 an opinion during his residence in England. We are glad to add. 



