Falconer's Palccontological Memoirs 227 



part of the knowledge he was known to possess, has happily 

 been removed by the posthumous publication of his literary 

 remains, in the two thick and handsome volumes before us, 

 and which include, besides all his printed papers on paLxonto- 

 logical and cognate subjects, several important more or less 

 completed memoirs, unpublished at the time of his death, and 

 which, though doubtless reserved by him for further emendation, 

 are still of extreme interest and value. 



In addition, we are furnished with a copious mass of his 

 scattered notes and memoranda, carefully collected and judiciously 

 arranged, pregnant with the most valuable information, and which 

 cannot fail to be of great use to all future inquirers. It should 

 be remarked also, that the various papers, whether published 

 or unpublished, have been abundantly illustrated by plates 

 from the accomplished hand of Mr Dinkel, and which give this 

 compilation an original value which it is impossible to estimate 

 too highly. 



The warmest acknowledgment is due from all Palceontologists, 

 for the fraternal care and friendly zeal with which the com- 

 pilation, illustration, and publication of the widely-scattered 

 materials has been so admirably carried out. No better nor more 

 enduring monument could have been erected to the memory of 

 Dr Falconer. 



Dr Falconer's scientific life may be naturally divided into two 

 distinct periods, one comprising the time of his service in India, 

 from 1830 to 1847, ^^i"**^ the other that which elapsed after his 

 final return to England. The Editor has followed a similar course 

 in the arrangement of his papers. 



The first volume, as stated in the preface, gives the results of 

 the author's investigations on the Fossil Zoology of the Sewalik 

 Hills and other parts of our eastern possessions ; whilst the second 

 is composed of memoirs and observations for the most part 

 written subsequently to his return to Europe. The bulk of the 

 materials thus brought together is very great, and although a con- 

 siderable part of them has already been published, these have 

 appeared in such an irregular and scattered manner in various 

 periodicals, some not very accessible, that had the compilation 

 comprised only these, it would still have been extremely useful. 

 But the amount of original matter now for the first time given to 

 the world is also very considerable. 



It is of course impossible within any moderate limits to give 



