214 Reviews and Notices o/BooJcs, 



is a bulky volume, aud some of them are expensively printed and 

 illustrated, while all are replete with interesting and important 

 scientific facts. 



The Kentucky report possesses a melancholy interest in con- 

 taining the obituary of the head of the survey, Dr. Owen, who 

 closed his useful course in November 1860. It contains an im- 

 mense amount of valuable local geology by Owen, Lesley and 

 Lyon, and a great number of analyses of ores and soils by Dr. 

 Peter, chemist to the survey. One of its principal features, at 

 least to geologists at a distance, is the palseontological report by 

 Lesquereux, in which he enters into an elaborate investigation of 

 the flora of the several coal seams, with the view of ascertaining 

 their peculiarities, and of obtaining evidence for the determination 

 of the different seams from their fossil plants. We doubt if this 

 last end can be attained to the extent that Mr. Lesquereux anti- 

 cipates, since our experience has so far led to the belief, that in 

 the middle coal measures the flora is very uniform, and varies 

 rather in consequence of local differences of soil and moisture 

 than from any general cause. The differences, however, in the 

 upper and lower members of this great series are in some res- 

 pects quite marked ; and such investigations as those of Mr. Les- 

 quereux are most praiseworthy and valuable. 



The "Wisconsin report is occupied in great part with a detailed 

 account of the remarkable deposits of lead, in the form of galena, 

 occurring in the older silurian limestones of Wisconsin and other 

 regions in the West. Prof. Hall contributes the introductory 

 chapter on general geology, and a palaBontological report, accom- 

 panied with a systematic list, which is in many respects one of the 

 most useful forms in which to present such information. In this 

 list appears the unfortunate little Lingula^ whose appearance in 

 the report of 1861 has excited some controversy in this Journal. 

 It is proper to state with respect to this, that Prof. Hall explains 

 the misapprehension, as he regards it, in respect to the date of 

 his notice of this species, by the delay which has occurred in 

 the publication of operations stated to have been made long pre- 

 viously. It is one of the misfortunes of the rapid progress of 

 palaeontology that it should occasion such interference of work- 

 ers in this field, and raise suspicions very unpleasant to all par- 

 ties. 



The Colorado report includes the results of the exploration of 

 the largest stream but one flowing from the United States terri- 



