Sept. 2 1, 1876] 



NA TURE 



447 



stomella the most elementary variety of the type is found 

 in the thin- shelled, simple Nonionina depresstila of 

 brackish-water pools, whilst A^. asterizans and Polysio- 

 inella crispa lead up to the complex P. craticulata, which 

 is the parallel of the highest Rotalians. In like manner 

 with Numviulina, though, as might be expected, the suc- 

 cessive steps of differentiation are more distinct, and, as 

 far as our present knowledge goes, further apart, it 

 appears more consonant with analogy and more in 

 accordance with natural order to regard Archadiscus and 

 Amphistegina as closely related forms of inferior organ- 

 isation leading up to the perfect type. The striking 

 similarity in the general minute structure of the shell in 

 tliese reputed Nummuline forms is confirmatory evidence 

 not without value. The alterations rendered necessary 

 by the adoption of the " presence of a canal-system " as 

 the essential character of the family, could not stop'where 

 Dr. Zittel has left them ; Nonionina and Fusiilina would 

 have to be transferred to the Globigerinida, whilst 

 Calcarina, Tinoporus, and some of the true Rotalice must 

 under the restricted definition be severed from their 

 natural allies to be placed amongst the Nummulinida — 

 changes that would find but little favour amongst students 

 of the Rhizopoda. 



There are many other little points in connection with 

 the treatment of the Foraminifera that are open to criti- 

 cism, favourable or otherwise, but as they do not affect 

 the general usefulness and value of the work, it is needless 

 to extend an already lengthy notice by their examination. 



The Radiolaria, better known perhaps under Ehren- 

 berg's name " Polycystina," form a much more manage- 

 able Order, and one which, in the present state of our 

 knowledge, lends itself comparatively readily to artificial 

 subdivision. The literature of the subject too is com- 

 paratively limited — that of the successive stages of investi- 

 gation being summarised in the standard memoirs of 

 Professors Ehrenberg, Johannes Miiller, and Ernst 

 Haeckel. The classification adopted by Prof. Zittel is 

 with but little modification that elaborated by Prof. 

 Hasckel for his magnificent monograph. The entire 

 Order is divided into fourteen principal Groups, founded 

 for the most part on the geometrical characters of the 

 silicious skeleton. Out of the fourteen Groups, notwith- 

 standing the enormous number of individuals and of 

 species found in the early and middle Tertiary deposits 

 of Barbados, Bermuda, North America, and the Medi- 

 terranean borders, only about one-half are known to have 

 fossil representatives. 



The Radiolaria make their appearance at a much later 

 period of the earth's history than the Foraminifera and the 

 part they have had to play in the formation of successive 

 geological deposits has been a much less important one. 

 Doubtful specimens have been found as far back as the 

 Triassic beds of St. Cassian, but of too obscure a nature 

 to yield satisfactory evidence as to geological range, and 

 the same may be said of some that have been described 

 of Jurassic age. In the Upper Chalk, however, well-defined 

 and characteristic forms have recently been discovered by 

 Dr. Zittel. In the earlier part of the Tertiary epoch the 

 group assumes considerable importance, and from that 

 time to the present Radiolaria have formed a frequent if 

 not a constant element of the fauna of deep water. 



The first part of the " Handbook " refers, in the main, 



to fossils belonging to one division of the Animal King- 

 dom, and it has therefore been necessary to dwell on 

 points in which the mode of treatment differs from that 

 which has hitherto prevailed, but the questions which 

 have been adverted to in detail have a special and limited 

 bearing, and do not materially affect the work in its 

 wider aspect as a manual of palaeontology. Of its excel- 

 lence, when complete, as a student's text-baok, and of its 

 prospective value to the working palaeontologist, the pre- 

 sent instalment gives abundant promise. 



There is but a word to add on the illustrative wood- 

 cuts. To those who recollect the beautiful drawings that 

 accompany that section of the " Novara-reise," which is 

 devoted to the Foraminifera of Kar Nikobar, the name of 

 Dr. Schwager will be sufficient guarantee for accuracy and 

 finish, and it is only needful to say that the draughtsman's 

 hand has lost none of its cunning and that in the present 

 work the illustrations, which are for the most part new, 

 are singularly apt and effective, though, in the copy 

 before us, occasionally somewhat marred by defective 

 printing. H. B. Brady 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Handbooks for the Glasgow Meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation. — I. " Notes on the Fauna and Flora of the 

 West of Scotland." 2. " Catalogue of the Western 

 Scottish Fossils." 3. " Notices of some of the Principal 

 Manufactures of the West of Scotland." (Glasgow : 

 Blackie and Son, 1876.) 



As there are satisfactory guide-books to Glasgow and the 

 West of Scotland already in existence, it would have been 

 superfluous in the Local Committee to have compiled 

 another general work of the same kind. It was, however, 

 a happy idea to publish the three volumes which we have 

 only now received, as they contain just such special infor- 

 mation as cannot be readily obtained, but which it is to 

 be supposed the many votaries of science who were 

 recently assembled in Glasgow would be glad to be fur- 

 nished with. The volumes are well printed, of a handy 

 size, and, so far as we have been able to test them, 

 carefully compiled by competent men. In the volume 

 devoted to the fauna and flora, Mr. E. R. Alston de- 

 scribes the mammalia, Mr. Robert Gray the birds, Mr. 

 Peter Canjeron the insects, Mr. James Ramsay vascul.ir 

 flora, and Dr. J. Stirton the Cryptogamic flora. To vol. 

 ii. is prefixed an Introduction by Prof. Young, on the 

 geology and palaeontology of the district, the catalogue 

 itself being compiled by Messrs. James Armstrong, John 

 Young, F.G.S., and David Robertson, F.G.S. This 

 volume is illustrated with four plates of fossils. In the 

 volume devoted to manufactures, Mr. St. John V. Day 

 writes on the iron and steel industries, Mr. John Mayer 

 on the engineering and ship-building industries, Mr. 

 James Paton, Curator of the Glasgow Industrial Museum, 

 on the textile industries, and Prof. John Ferguson on the 

 chemical manufactures. Considering the haste with 

 which these volumes must have been compiled, they are 

 wonderfully complete and well arranged, and if the pub- 

 lishers are careful to keep them up to date and extend 

 them in a new edition, they might become of permanent 

 value. Prefixed to each volume is a sketch map of the 

 country surrounding Glasgow, with its general geological 

 features. 



The Tree-lifter ; or, A New Method of Transplanting 

 Forest Trees. By Col. George Greenwood. Third 

 Edition. (London : Longmans, Green, and Co., 1876.) 



This is a book of some two hundred and thirty odd pages, 

 eleven pages of which are devoted to a description of the 



