iggi. 



SOME NEW BOOKS. 69 



Catalogue of the Specimens Illustrating the Osteology of Vertebrated 

 Animals, Recent and Extinct, contained in the Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons of England. Part iii.. Class Aves. By R. Bowdler 

 Sharpe, LL.D. Pp. Ivii., 468. London: Taylor and Francis, 1891. 



This new volume of the Osteological Catalogue of the Royal College 

 of Surgeons is arranged upon the same plan as the previous volume 

 by Professor Flower relating to the Osteology of the Mammalia. An 

 important innovation, however, is the addition of a series of good 

 figures of skulls, feet, and other anatomical points of value in the 

 systematic arrangement of the class to which the work refers. With 

 slight modifications, Dr. Sharpe adopts Mr. Henry Seebohm's classi- 

 fication of birds as propounded in 1889, and he acknowledges his 

 indebtedness to Dr. R. W. Shufeldt during the passing of the sheets 

 through the Press. Apart from its value as an index to the collection 

 of which it treats, the volume will form a most useful work of 

 reference for ornithologists, who too frequently ignore the osteological 

 characters of birds in their systematic writings. 



Geologie von Bayern. By Dr. K. Wilhelm von Gumbel. Vol. ii., Part i. 

 Pp. 176. Kassel : Theodor Fischer, 1892. 



The second volume of Dr. von Giimbel's Geology of Bavaria is 

 accurately described by its title. The first volume of the work, it 

 will be remembered, forms a general treatise on Physical and Strati- 

 graphical Geology. After a general sketch of the formations repre- 

 sented in the country, the various districts are now to be treated 

 separately in detail, and the text will be illustrated by many good 

 sections and views of scenery. The description of the Bavarian 

 Alps in the first part now before us leads to the discussion of many 

 facts of great interest. 



Annals of British Geology, 1890. A Critical Digest of the Publications and 

 Account of Papers read during the Year — with Personal Items. By J. F. 

 Blake, M.A., F.G.S. Svo. Pp. x., 352. London : Dulau & Co., 1891. 

 Price, 5s. net. 



This most useful work is decidedly an advance in the right direction, 

 and Professor Blake's wide experience in many departments of 

 Geological and Palaeontological research makes him specially fitted 

 to inaugurate the new era in " Records " that we hope will dawn 

 with it. As the Professor remarks, the annual summaries of progress 

 in Science would be of much greater value if they could be made 

 readable ; and, so far as British Geology is concerned, the present 

 volume amply realises the author's ideal. Each work, or paper, is 

 noticed separately, while the entries are numbered and classified by 

 subjects. Professor Blake's own comments and criticisms are placed 

 in square brackets, to distinguish them from the abstracts they help 

 to enliven. Some of these interpolations are likely to arouse — 

 indeed, have already aroused — the scientific wrath of the authors 

 reviewed ; but many are extremely good, and will prove an incentive 

 in some cases to more careful work. Professor Blake's "Annals" 

 ought to find a place in every working geologist's library, and we 

 hope the reception of the volume for 1890 will justify the continuance 

 of the publication. 



