Foreign Literature and Science. 395 
Cuvier’s great work, (the new edition of which we have 
already mentioned,) M. Brongniart is engaged in revising 
it for that work. We are informed by him that it will be 
greatly enlarged, and that he will referto it the analogous 
formations which he has had occasion to observe, or to 
become acquainted with in other countries. The depart- 
ment relating to chalk is already executed, and the au- 
thor has described and figured all the fossil shells characteris- 
tic of that formation—four plates atleast are requisite for this 
subject. From the chalk he will pass to the lime stone of 
the Jura and of transition. 
In executing the memoir on the Vincentin, and the work 
just mentioned, the author was obliged to have many figures 
delineated, and to digest many descriptions. This has af- 
rded him materials for another work which is a very great 
desideratum in the geological science : we mean— 
64. 4 new elementary work on fossil shells with a particu- 
lar reference to Geology—Every person conversant with 
geological investigations, must have found extreme incon- 
venience from the want of a good elementary work with 
plates exhibiting the various fossil reliquia in a manner_so 
distinct, that they may be recognized, by a learner. The 
splendid work of Parkinson, embracing a part of this sub- 
os is too expensive to be in many hands, and that of 
arck is little known in this country. 
We are therefore peculiarly happy in-learning from M. 
Brongniart, that he is himself engaged in the preparation of 
such a work, which is already far advanced. 
_ The fossil shells characteristic of the geological forma- 
tons to which they belong, are enumerated, described, and 
figured, with the greatest attainable exactness. The sub- 
jects are arranged in zoological order, and will thus consti- 
tute an elementary work in that department. It may be ex- 
pected to appear about the end of the year 1822. We have 
Seen some of the prints executed for the above work: they 
are beautifully done in the Lithographic method, and when 
accompanied by their appropriate descriptions, we cannot 
doubt that they will prove perfectly satisfactory. 
We shall wait with much impatience for the appearance 
of this work, which will probably be even more useful in this 
: than in Europe. 
