330 NATURAL SCIENCE. May, 



made in his Systematic List of the Edwards Collection, by describing, 

 in conjunction with Mr. Harris, several of the molluscan species 

 recorded under noniina nuda in that Systematic List. We hope that 

 these authors will continue the good work now begun, and rid scientific 

 literature of a mass of names which are of no value and should never 

 have got into print. An excellent point in these descriptions, is the 

 placing of n. sp. (new species) after the names where given, and 

 so making it clear that this is the first occurrence of the new specific 

 name in literature. 



Aids to Geologists. 



It has often been our duty to criticise geological and palseon- 

 tological text-books with a certain severity, and we have lamented the 

 want of a good elementary text-book of palaeontology in the English 

 language. We, therefore, take the more pleasure in directing the 

 attention of students to the second edition of Professor Cole's very 

 useful " Aids to Practical Geology " (8vo. London : Griffin & Co. 

 Price 8s. 6d.) It is true that this does not pose as a text-book, is 

 indeed intended to supplement the text-book, but for all that it will 

 prove more reliable and intelligible than many more pretentious 

 manuals. The style is clear, the figures truly illustrative of the text, 

 the examples of genera on the whole well chosen, the information 

 commendably up to date, and the views of the more advanced as well 

 as of conservative workers prudently set forth. As the first edition 

 was, we believe, stereotyped, there are not many alterations in the 

 body of the text, but this edition has been brought up to date by the 

 insertion of notes in smaller type. As a rule the English student has 

 to rely on foreign text-books in these branches of science ; but this is 

 a case in which we honestly think even the Germ.ans might do worse 

 than translate from us. We also take this opportunity of recom- 

 mending to students, and indeed to all geologists, the thoroughly 

 practical work of Mr. W. H. Penning, " A Text-book of Field 

 Geology, with a section on Palaeontology by A. J. Jukes-Browne " 

 (Stanford), which has for some time been out of print. A second 

 edition, however, has just been re-issued, with the addition of a 

 chapter on Pioneer Surveying, chiefly illustrated by South African 

 instances. It is a pity that the whole work could not have been 

 brought a little more up to date, and issued as a third edition ; but 

 even in its present form, it is the best of the kind available. 



Fossil Palm-Fruits. 

 In a recently-published monograph of the genus Nipadites { Journal 

 Linnean Society, vol. xxx., p. 143), Mr. Rendle figures a fine specimen of 

 these fossil palm-fruits from the south coast. It measures five 

 inches by four and a half, and is by far the finest example yet found 

 in this country. For its discovery we have to thank Mr. Clement 



