198 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



made out the arrangement of the rocks in this district, 

 and recognized their characteristic fossils before Mur- 

 chison had begun to study the subject." 



The seven succeeding years were chieffy devoted to 

 the mapping of these newly-classified rocks, for which 

 Murchison proposed the name of Silurian, from his 

 having first of all worked at them in the country of 

 the Silures,* and in 1838 the results of his labours ap- 

 peared in a magnificent volume entitled " The Silurian 

 System," and which contained, in addition to almost 

 learned and comprehensive text, a geological map and 

 a series of plates of fossils, which at once established his 

 reputation as one of the first geologists in Europe. 



In this great work the author freely availed himself 

 of the assistance of his friends, and in it the esj)ecial 

 knowledge required for the interpretation and descrip- 

 tion of the fossil remains was contributed by the 

 leading paleontologists of the day. It was a complete 

 work, designed and carried out in the most methodical 

 manner, exactly what might have been expected from 

 such an energetic man of business as the author was. 

 Agassiz described the fishes, Sowerby and Lonsdale the 

 corals and shells, Broderip and Phillips, Milne- 

 Edwards, and others, assisted in various important 



* Siluria means simply, a district on the borders of 

 England and Wales, which was formerly inhabited by 

 a tribe of ancient Britons, whom Eoman authors speak 

 of under the name of Silures. Shropshire and Hereford- 

 shire, Montgomeryshire and Eadnorshire, may be taken 

 as the main part of this district. 



