1868.J BOOK NOTICES. 4 °1 



might be officially entrusted with that part of the work. Not 

 content with mere survey, Dr. Dawson has from time to time, 

 and at his own expense, generously published his < Reports of 

 Progress,' the last and most complete of which is now before us, 

 and in a form well entitled to take rank with official reports, while 

 it is much more attractive to the general reader. 



We do not propose giving any lengthy review of this work, as 

 it is within easy reach of all our readers, and moreover we shall 

 hereafter have opportunities of enriching our pages with copious 

 extracts, one of which is given in the present issue of this journal. 

 The following paragraphs are from the preface : — 



" While the progress made in the Geology of Acadia since the 

 publication of the first edition of this work is most satisfactory, 

 it also suggests the fact that the present edition, probably the 

 last which the author will be permitted to issue, merely marks a 

 stage in that progress; and that the time will soon arrive when 

 its imperfections will be revealed by the discovery of new facts, 

 when many things now uncertain may have become plain, and 

 when some things now held as certain will be proved to have been 

 errors. When that time shall come, I trust that those who may 

 build on the foundations which I have laid, if they shall find it 

 necessary to remove some misplaced stone or decaying beam, will 

 make clue allowance for the difficulties of the work, and the 

 circumstances under which it was executed." ■ 



"The lovers of the lighter kind of scientific literature may be 

 disappointed in not finding in this work any incidents of travel or 

 illustrations of the aspects of social life in Acadia. I have been 

 obliged by the pressure of graver and more important matter to 

 resist all temptation to dwell on these; but may perhaps find 

 some future occasion to introduce the public to the incidents and 

 adventures of my geological excursions. 



"For myself, I confess that at an earlier period of my life it 

 was a cherished object of ambition with me, that it might be my 

 lot to work out in a public capacity the completion of some, at 

 least, of the departments of geological investigation opened up to 

 me in my native province; but it has been otherwise decreed; 

 and however I may regret the want of that extraneous aid, which 

 would have enabled me to devote myself more completely to 

 original researches, by which my own reputation and the interests 

 of my country might have been advanced, I am yet thankful that 

 I have been enabled to do so much by my own unaided resources, 



