1897] SOME NEW BOOKS 347 
an ample selection from his correspondence arranged in chronological 
order, with paragraphs welding them into a connected story ; and this 
is followed by an interesting chapter by Professor Bonney on the 
general character and value of his scientific work. 
Pengelly’s genial personality was so widely known and beloved, 
not only by men of science but by many devoted to other intellectual 
pursuits, that his biography will find no lack of enthusiastic readers. 
The story of his early life as a Cornish sailor; of his career as 
a schoolmaster at Torquay; of his growing fame as a geologist, 
his discoveries of fossil fish-remains in the Devonian rocks of Corn- 
wall, and so forth; of his share in the exploration of Brixham 
cavern in 1858; and finally, of his great work in arranging and per- 
sonally superintending the excavation of Kent’s cavern—all this is 
told in an entertaining manner in his letters. The various little 
incidents in his career are recalled as we read, and those who knew 
the man himself will recognise his characteristic traits and modes of 
expression. We have only one criticism to offer, namely, that far too 
much of the correspondence is printed. A considerable proportion of 
it is very trivial and ephemeral, of no interest to anyone except his 
immediate family, for whose private view alone it was intended. 
Some other letters, we think, are inserted with rather questionable 
taste, as, for example, one in reference to a candidate’s touting for the 
fellowship of the Royal Society on p. 282. Biographers ought to 
distinguish between strictly personal matters and those bearing upon 
the progress of a life’s work. The latter alone are worthy of being 
preserved in a memorial volume. 
Professor Bonney’s summary of Pengelly’s researches, occupying 
only thirty pages, is an admirable contribution. It is both concise 
and clear, and written in a style readily comprehensible to the general 
reader. The first section deals with the geologist’s first serious under- 
taking, the investigation of the Tertiary deposits of Bovey Tracey ; 
the next part is concerned with the examination of the caverns, in 
association with which the name of Pengelly will be longest remem- 
bered; and the third or final part includes a nuinber of miscellaneous 
geological studies of the south-western district of England. We will 
not attempt to analyse this chapter; it must be read in its entirety 
to be appreciated. 
Miss Pengelly’s biography appropriately concludes with a list of 
her father’s writings, more than 100 in number, and it is prefaced by 
a very successful copy of A. 8. Cope’s portrait of Pengelly, which was 
painted in 1882. 
THE VERTEBRATE SKELETON 
Tur VERTEBRATE SKELETON. By Sidney H. Reynolds, M.A. 8vo, pp. xvi. 559, 
with 110 illustrations. Cambridge: University Press, 1897. Price, 12s. 6d. 
Tue latest volume of the Cambridge Natural Science Manuals 
(Biological Series) is a useful small compendium of osteology by Mr 
S. H. Reynolds, Lecturer and Demonstrator in Geology and Zoology 
at University College, Bristol. For the most part the work is a 
laborious compilation, which sometimes rather detracts from its 
interest and value; but the actual descriptions of certain typical 
