1864. | Geology and Paleontology. 677 
. The most complete work that has yet appeared on the geology of 
Madeira has just been published at Leipzig; itis entitled ‘Geologische 
Beschreibung der Inseln Madcira und Porto Santo,’ von G. Hartung ; 
and it contains also descriptions of the fossils by Dr. Karl Mayer. 
It is the result of several years’ investigation of the geology of the 
island, begun in 1853 in company with Sir Charles Lyell, and since 
continued by the advice of that distinguished geologist. 
Dr. Hartung first describes the different stratified and volcanic 
rocks composing the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, the forms of 
the hills, and the results of marine and sub-aérial erosion, or denuda- 
tion; but the greater part of the work is taken up with a detailed 
description of the various peaks, cones, and craters, this part of the 
subject being well illustrated by lithographed views of the localities, 
coast-sections of the volcanic cones, and maps of the islands, though 
the latter are unfortunately not coloured geologically. 
Dr. Karl Mayer gives, in the concluding chapter, a full account of 
the results of his examination of the tertiary fossils of Madeira, and 
his comparison of them with those from the Azores, and from Euro- 
pean localities the strata of which have a well-defined horizon. He 
differs in some respects from most other paleontologists, and we think 
he has assigned to the Madeira strata too remote an age in considering 
them to be of the horizon of Swiss Miocene, for out of 208 species 
determined by him 72 are recent; and although 91 species (only 9 of 
which are characteristic) are found in the “ Helvetian ” formation, yet 
80 are found in the ‘‘ Mayencien”’ below, and 83 in the “ Tortonien ” 
above, the numbers being so nearly alike that the difference may be 
due to accident, and the percentage of recent forms (85) being far too 
great for the “ Helvetian ” strata. 
About two years ago geologists were not a little surprised at an 
announcement made by Dr. H. B. Geinitz, of Dresden, an eminent 
paleontologist, that he had discovered a Trilobite in the collection of 
Madame Kablik, from the Rothliegende of Nieder-Stepanitz, near 
Hohenelbe, which he had therefore named Dalmanites Kablike ; with 
it was associated another crustacean, to which he gave the name 
Kablikia dyadica. Both fossils occurred in a black micaceous clay- 
slate, not distinguishable from a similar rock occurring at Nieder- 
Stepanitz, and therefore Dr. Geinitz felt certain that Madame Kablik 
was neither deceived nor deceiving when she assured him that it came 
from that locality. The word of a lady, aided perhaps by her looks, 
was sufficient to upset Dr. Geinitz’s faith in paleontology, its laws 
and its facts; but other paleontologists, far removed from tbe personal 
influence of the fair collector, were sufficiently prosaic to put the veto 
of their calmer judgments on the validity of the asserted fact. Dr. 
Geinitz, stimulated by the discovery of a more perfect specimen in the 
lady’s cabinet, set about confounding his compeers; but “ facts are 
stubborn things,” and he therefore gradually became convinced that 
his Dalmanites /<ablike was none other than the Placoparia Zippet, 
Bock, sp.—a species which occurs in the old Silurian slates of 
Dobrotiva, near Beraun! Dr. Geinitz lingers lovingly over his 
