Nov. 4, 1875J 



NATURE 



out of the older flows, while coulees were poured down the 

 excavated hollows. In these respects the history of this 

 late North American volcanic action recalls the succes- 

 sion of events so long ago and so admirably described by 

 Mr. Poulett Scrope as traceable among the volcanic 

 masses of Central France. 



The mines now in operation, as well as indications of 

 probable positions for new ones, are carefully noted in 

 the Report. The geologists, indeed, have constantly had 

 before them the consciousness that the future develop- 

 ment of these territories would not be helped so much by 

 their making out all geological details at present as by 

 their ascertaining what practicable places could be found 

 for the establishment of mining industry'. At the same 

 time, they deserve great credit for keeping the thoroughly 

 scientific character of their duty so conspicuous in their 

 reports ; for undoubtedly the only way to make an explo- 

 ration which shall be of real value as a guide in mining 

 operations is to do it in the strictest sense geologically. 

 With the area and relations of the different rock-forma- 

 tions mapped out for him, the mining prospector may 

 save much time and money by learning what tracts to 

 avoid as well as which to explore. 



Each of the geologists in command of a division under 

 Dr. Hayden furnishes a report, which appears in the present 

 voluriie. These are remarkably well done, that of Mr. 

 Maivine being specially interesting from the variety of 

 phenomena with which he had to deal and the clearness 

 with which he tells his story. Besides the geological 

 reports. Prof. Lesquereux supplies one of great value on 

 the Lignitic formation and its fossil flora, in which he 

 enters anew into the vexed question of the true age of 

 that formation. As the result of his long study of its 

 large and well-marked flora, he concludes that the forma- 

 tion is of Tertiary date, a conclusion which agrees also 

 with that to which Dr. Hayden has been led. A large list 

 of new species of fossil plants from the Lignitic strata is 

 described by him in his report. Under the head of 

 Zoology are gathered a number of communications on 

 insects, Crustacea, mollusca, and olher invertebrata, col- 

 lected or observed during the progress of the Survey. 

 The part devoted to Geography and Topography contains 

 the reports of the geographer and his colleagues on the 

 system of triangulation employed, the heights of various 

 places, the practicable routes, and other matters. The 

 book is well printed and well illustrated. It deserves 

 the heartiest commendations both for the Government 

 which supports such good work and for the men by whom 

 it is practically done. Arch. Geikie 



ALIX ON THE LOCOMOTION OF BIRDS 



Essai sur PAppareil Locomoieur des Oiseattx. By 



Edmond Alix, M.D. (Paris : G. IMasson.) 



THIS considerable volume, the first independent 

 work of any pretensions on the osteology and 

 myology of birds, is a valuable addition both to zoo- 

 logical and to ornithological literature. As far as the 

 latter is concerned it would have been more distinctly 

 useful if the author had been better acquainted prac- 

 tically with birds' skins, as well as with the binomial 

 nomenclature and the importance of specific distinc- 

 tions. If he had, such a sentence as the following 



would have been modified in a manner which would have 

 made it of greater value to future investigators, at the 

 same time that the precision would have added weight to 

 the points brought forward. We are told with reference 

 to the accessory femoro-caudal muscle that " this fasci- 

 culus, represented in the Cormorant by an aponeurotic 

 band, is found uncomplicated in the Grebe, Flamingo, 

 Heron, Bustard, and Secretary Bird," in which remark 

 the fact that what are there termed iGrebe, Bustard, &c., 

 are general terms, seems to be entirely ignored ; as is 

 therefore the possibility of there being structural differ- 

 ences among the members of the included groups. It 

 may even be mentioned that respecting the very point 

 referred to in the above quotation, the statement therein 

 made does not generally apply, being correct as far as 

 the Little Grebe {Podiceps minor) and the Common Heron 

 {Ardea cinered) are concerned, but being inaccurate when 

 said of the Eared Grebe {Podiceps cristatus) and the 

 Giant Heron {Ardea ^oliath). Most works on the 

 anatomy of birds suffer from the same imperfection ; the 

 importance of specific and even generic distinctions beino- 

 generally disregarded, by all but pure ornithologists. 



The work is divided into three sections — the three 

 in which the consideration of the locomotive apparatus 

 of birds most naturally falls ; namely, the consideration 

 of birds firstly as vertebrated animals (zoologically) ; 

 secondly, as a special organised type (.anatomically) ; 

 and thirdly, as flying animals (physiologically). An 

 excellent resume of previous investigations on the several 

 subjects prefaces each section, in which due credit is 

 on nearly all occasions given to foreign workers. 



Under the first heading, following the teaching of De 

 Blainville and Gratiolet, Dr. Alix describes the typical 

 skull on the hypothesis of its vertebral origin ; of the 

 fourth or nasal vertebra, considering the perpendicular 

 plate of the ethmoidal as the centrum, the lateral masses 

 of that bone as the laminae, and the nasals as the spinous 

 element. 



In the treatment of the osteology of birds, most of the 

 important subjects which have of late attracted most 

 considerable attention are fully discussed. We are rather 

 surprised to find no reference to the point so forcibly put 

 forward by Prof. Parker, and laid stress on by Prof. 

 Huxley, with regard to the anchylosis of the palatine 

 bones with the vomer in the Tinamous. The vomer as a 

 separate bone is also rather neglected. As to the li<^ht 

 thrown by a study of the skull on the classification of 

 birds, we read that " the examination of the head of birds 

 confirms the major divisions established originally from 

 a consideration of the beak and the feet. It proves that 

 Raptores, Passeres, Galiinas, &c., exist in reality : but it 

 also renders it evident that there are di\-isions beyond these 

 not capable of being included among these primary forms. 

 For instance, the Parrots form a well-marked group of 

 themselves . . . the Raptores Nocturnae are clearly distinct 

 from the Raptores Diurnas, the Pigeons can in no way be 

 confounded either with the Passeres or with the Fowls." 

 As to the sternum, " the results arrived at by De Blain\Tlle 

 and confirmed by subsequent authors (are said to) prove 

 that Cuvier has narrowed the question too much in 

 affirming that the indications afforded by the sternum 

 cannot serve for more than generic distinctions. But it 

 must be admitted that, with the exception of the cha- 



