478 Bihliogrophical Notice. 



is proper!}- indicated, without throwing total discredit on the 

 researches of earnest and conscient ous observers. 



lY. Algie succeed, and the impos.sibilit_y of accepting very many 

 of the so-called fucoids, or fossils referred to seaweeds, is reasonably 

 insisted on. Other members, however, of the algal group are abun- 

 dant both in recent and fossil states. The Diatomacese (Bacil- 

 lariaceiE) are succinctly described as belonging to the " Brown 

 Algae," and their wide distribution in existing waters, both fresh 

 and salt, is analogous to their frequent occurrence, sometimes in 

 enormously thick deposits, in the later geological formations. The 

 oldest known fossil form has been found in the Lias ; other forms 

 are common in the Chalk ; and others are vastly numerous in some 

 Tertiary formations. For reasons given, the reported occurrence of 

 diatoms in the Coal and in the Trias is not accepted. 



The Chlorophycese, or " Green Algae," comprise the Siphonete and 

 Confervoidese. Of the former, Caulerpa is a recent representative, 

 and two fossils have been referred to it ; but the Silurian Caider- 

 pites cactoides, Gopp., is rejected, and the Jurassic Caulerpa [jies] 

 Cu7-ruthersi, Murray, not accepted by the author. Codium and 

 Penicilhis come in the same category ; the former has a doubtful 

 fossil analogue {Splicp.rocod'mm), a limestone-maker of Triassic age. 

 The author thinks that Girvanella, Bornemann's Siphonema, and 

 Sphcerocodivm are closely allied and probably algal, but too imper- 

 fectly known to be referred to any particular family. 



Penicilhis has ten recent, mostlj^ tropical, species ; but in the 

 fossil state there are many allied forms. These have mostly been 

 described as foraminiferal, but have now been brought home to 

 the Siphonese by Prof. Munier-Chalmas. Of these reclaimed 

 organisms the chief are Acicularia, Polylriipa, Vermiporella and 

 others (Silurian), Sycidium (Devonian), Diplopora and Gyroporella 

 (Triassic), Dactylopora (Eocene), and others, belonging to Munier- 

 Chalmas's Siphoncpe V^erticillatse, of which Acelahularia and Cymo- 

 polia are good recent types. 



For the Confervoideae several so-called Confervites have been 

 recorded by geologists, but scarcely any of them are of value. At 

 pages 178-183 " Torbanite" or " Boghead Coal " is discussed. It 

 consists of minute light brown granules of hydrocarbon, with some 

 eartliy matter, and portions of the tissues of coal-plants. In the 

 morsels of hydrocarbon in Torbanite and Kerosene- shale (known also 

 as Tasmanite) MM. Renault and Bertraud see evidence of some 

 Chlorophyceous ? Algfe, which they name Pila and ReinscTiia. The 

 author seems to go with this opinion to some extent. It is notice- 

 able, however, that the Revnschia represented by fig. 3 at page 180, 

 although its hydrocarbon is somewhat modified, has much resem- 

 blance to a compressed macrospore, such as abound in Tasmanite. 

 The important paper by Mr. E. T. Xewton in the Geol. Mag. 1875, 

 has escaped the author's notice. 



Of the " Red Algae " group, the Nullipores (Melobesieae and 

 Coralline*) comprise very important rock-builders in both recent 



