Bibliographical Notice. 505 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 



2'he Ancient Life-IIistonj of the Earth. By Prof. H. A. Nicholson, 

 M.D., D.8c.', &c. 8vo. Pp. 408, with 27U woodcuts. Black- 

 wood : Edinburgh, 1877. 



Thk author well defines this work as " a comprehensive outline of 

 the principles and leading facts of palaeontological science." It 

 differs from many of the books already written on palaeontology ; 

 for it is not unfairly weighted with the over- treatment of any ono 

 favoured subject — it is not devoted to the mere enumeration or to 

 a very special illustration of all the fossils of each formation — it is 

 not a mere popular sketch of the organic beings of the past — it is 

 not shackled with hesitations about old pliilosophies — but is written 

 evidently with a full personal knowledge of the subject-matters, a 

 good acquaintance with what our continental and American fellow- 

 workers have said and done, and in an open-minded but far from 

 rash scientific spirit, seeking truth for tnith's sake, enlightened some- 

 times by the doctrine of evolution, and sometimes feeling for that 

 "■ deeper and higher law" which has ruled nature with still greater 

 power. 



In his concise introductory sketch of " the laws of geological 

 action," our excellent teacher opportunely and with justice warns 

 us that the Huttonian reaction against pure Caictstrophhm carried 

 geologists too far, and that " Catastrophes " must be allowed for, 

 though the general truth of the doctrine of Continuity is to be fully 

 admitted. 



The President of the Geological Society of Loudon also, in his 

 late Address, has done good service to science in urging geologists to 

 think more of the e\idences and theoretical aspects of " Catastro- 

 phes," and to bo less strongly influenced by the Uniformitarian 

 reaction than they have been of late years. 



The definition of Palaeontology, its " scope and materials," and a 

 sketch of what is meant by " fossiliferous rocks," with concise 

 descriptions and useful illustrations, will prove useful to students 

 and general readers. The " chronological succession of the fossi- 

 liferous rocks " is treated of in a short but sound and philosophical 

 chapter ; and " the breaks in the geological record," and '' the biolo- 

 gical relations of fossils," are equally good. 



The main body of the work is, of course, "historical palieon- 

 tology ; " and this is carried out with great judgment, full infor- 

 mation carefuUy condensed, conscientious treatment of obscure fossils, 

 and a sound knowledge of both palaeontology and physical geology. 

 Each system, from the Laurentian to the Post-pliocene, has its 

 fossils and life-history treated of in succession. 



Of the numerous woodcuts, some are new; and, though the others 

 have been used in earlier books, they are carefully chosen and well- 

 applied ; and the majority arc inscribed with their original source. 



