SOME NEW BOOKS 



A Living " Pal.^ontology." 



Elements de Paleontologie. By Felix Bernard. Seconde Partie. 8vo. Pp. 

 529-1168 and i.-viii. Paris: Baillere & Sons, 1895 (August, 1894). Price 15 

 francs ; price of the complete work 25 francs. 



We expressed our appreciation of the first part of this book in April 

 of last year (Natural Scienxe, vol. ii., pp. 307-308), and after 

 carefully examining this second part, which deals with Lamellibranchs, 

 Cephalopods, Vertebrates, and Plants, we do not feel called upon to 

 modify the opinions previously given. In many respects this text- 

 book of palaeontology is superior to any other with which we are 

 acquainted, and we should hesitate to say that it is in any respect 

 inferior to those others. Its virtues are its own ; its vices are common 

 to all similar works. It is, therefore, more useful as well as more 

 pleasant to praise the former than it is to point out the latter. 



Dr. Bernard's chief merit is that he treats extinct animals from 

 the standpoint of the biologist, laying stress on such as are of 

 morphological importance while passing lightly over those genera and 

 species that have acquired a fictitious value as the tokens or date- 

 counters of the stratigraphical geologist. Evolutionist as well as 

 biologist, he bases his classification in each group on its ascertained 

 phylogeny, and remembers that in this difficult study evidence must 

 be collected from the palaeontologist, anatomist, and embryologist 

 alike. Thus every fact that finds its place in this book is of a defi- 

 nite value, and is quoted for a definite purpose. Joined by the 

 thread of scientific theory, such facts are easily retained in the 

 memory of the student, and the work, instead of being a dry cram- 

 book or catalogue, assumes the form of an interesting narrative, 

 where the deepest truth proves the highest art. Since we can never 

 have the conclusion of the lamented Neumayr's " Die Stamme des 

 Thierreiches," we are grateful to Dr. Bernard for so soon applying the 

 methods of that distinguished writer to a working text-book for 

 students. 



Turning to the execution of this volume, it is plain that 

 Dr. Bernard has taken much trouble to get up the recent literature, 

 and has spared no pains to discuss all views of any importance. 

 Thus, over two pages are devoted to an account of the Ammonite 

 aptychus and of the various explanations of it, while the difterent 

 theories as to the origin of the Horse are admirably summarised. 

 The errors that mark the work of a compiler, as distinct from that 

 of an original investigator, are, however, easily to be found. To 

 ascribe to Smith Woodward the views quoted on p. 800 as to the 

 crocodilian skull does no great harm ; it merely shows that the 

 author has obtained his knowledge of fossil crocodiles from 

 Mr. Woodward's semi-popular summary rather than from the original 



