i893. SOME NEW BOOKS. 471 



The morainic debris has travelled from a spot forty-five miles to the 

 south. 



We have already remarked on the great importance to Queens- 

 land of its mineral wealth, and readers will not be surprised to find 

 that a large part of this monograph relates to mines and mining. 

 Indeed, we are somewhat surprised to see that the Government of 

 a young country like Queensland has been so far-seeing as to under- 

 stand the necessity of studying also the scientific aspects of the 

 subject, and has gone to the expense of publishing so good a series 

 of plates of fossils. This is as it should be, for even looked at from 

 a purely economic point of view, it is most essential that the 

 relations of the different deposits should be thoroughly understood, 

 and their fossils ascertained, for the suitability of large areas for 

 habitation depends mainly on the supply of water from artesian 

 wells ; other barren districts may be made profitable by the 

 discovery of new mineral resources. One has, of course, no right to 

 expect completeness at this early stage, and we think that Mr. Jack 

 shows a thorough appreciation of the necessities of the case when 

 he writes in his preface that " The highest function of a Geological 

 Survey is to lay a basis for future scientific observations by accurately 

 mapping the relations of the various formations met with in a given 

 district." He " cannot say that this beau ideal has been reached in 

 Queensland. In every country, and especially in every new country, it 

 becomes necessary m the first place to give attention to districts 

 remarkable for the presence or prospects of mineral deposits." 



Les Alpes Francaises ; la flore et la faune, le role de I'homrae dans les Alpes, la 

 transhumance. By A. Falsan. 8vo. Pp. viii. and 356. With 77 figures in the 

 text. Paris: J. B. Bailliere et Fils, 1893. Price 3fr. 50c. 



We have already noticed the first part of M. Falsan's work on the 

 French Alps, namely, that dealing with the mountains, streams, 

 glaciers, and meteorology, or the inorganic phenomena. The second 

 part, now before us, treats of the animal and plant-life prevalent to- 

 day or in past ages, as well as the part played by man. M. Falsan 

 has been fortunate in securing efficient helpers for the special sections 

 of his book. Thus, the Marquis de Saporta is responsible for the 

 Palaiobotany, which forms the subject of the second chapter, while, at 

 the end of Chapter I., a general introduction by the author to the 

 ancient Alpine flora, and its relation to the present one, the Marquis 

 and M. Marion explain their theory " sur I'origine montagnard de 

 la flore des Alpes." 



Dr. Magnin follows, in Chapter III., with a succinct account of 

 the vegetation of to-day, discussing, first, the influence of altitudes 

 and the consequent modifications of species ; secondly, the zones of 

 vegetation, of which he makes four, viz.: (i) The Prealpes, or 

 western outer Alps ; (2) the granitic central Alps ; (3) the south-west 

 Alps ; (4) the maritime Alps. In each case are mentioned the plants 

 especially characteristic of the zones, and their geographical or 

 altitudinal subdivisions. Next he briefly refers to the influence of 

 the aspect, whether north or south, S.E. or N.W., and the nature 

 of the soil as regards the marked difference between the vegetation 

 of the silicious and calcareous districts, and finally discusses its 

 relation with neighbouring regions, the central and eastern Alps, the 

 central plain and the Pyrenees. 



