136 Bibliographical Notices. 



published more than thirty years since, may certainly be considered 

 as the first provincial work on the subject which combined descriptive 

 geology with illustrations of fossil remains, for the earlier works of 

 Martin* and Morton f, although valuable, were of a different cha- 

 racter. 



The appearance of Dr. Mantell's work in 1822 excited much 

 interest, and certainly stimulated and promoted inquiry at the time 

 both locally and generally ; nor has its value materially decreased even 

 at the present day. During the period since the publication of Dr. 

 Mantell's valuable work, many interesting facts have been discovered 

 by himself and others, and our knowledge of the fossil contents of the 

 Chalk formation has been materially extended by the numerous spe- 

 cimens gathered together, especially of late years, in various private 

 collections, among the first and most interesting of which may be 

 considered that formed by the lamented author of the present volume. 

 Having made so many important additions both of rare and new 

 species, Mr. Dixon proposed to lay illustrations of them before the 

 scientific public, and had nearly accomplished the arduous task, when 

 he was prematurely removed from the scene of his labours, to the 

 deep regret of those friends to whom he was endeared by his amiable 

 and liberal character. He was no niggard, parsimoniously hoarding 

 the rich treasures gathered from among the ancient temples of nature, 

 but liberally placing them at the disposal of those who could fully ap- 

 preciate their value, and fortunately having amongst his personal 

 friends those who, having always searched nature with truthfulness 

 and assiduity, rendered, by their kindly co-operation, this work one of 

 great importance and value to the student of palaeontology. 



First among these may be mentioned Prof. Owen, without whose 

 kind and prompt assistance the completion of the volume might have 

 been indefinitely delayed, and the publication of which was materially 

 facilitated by the liberality of Mrs. Thwaytes, of Charman Dean near - 

 Worthing, whose name, as Prof. Owen remarks, " will ever be ho- 

 nourably associated with those of other munificent promoters of science 

 in this country, and by the geologist, who may find in its pages, or its 

 beautiful and accurate plates, a helping guide in the course of his 

 investigations." 



The work does not profess to give a general geological history of 

 the county ; otherwise another volume would have been required, had 

 the author entered upon the description of the Lower Cretaceous for- 

 mation and the Wealden ; for these, however, the previous excellent 

 researches and observations of Dr. Fitton and Dr. Mantell may be 

 advantageously consulted. The reader, however, will find some 

 interesting and useful information in the chapters on the Geological 

 View of Selsey and Bracklesham Bay, the Eocene Formations of the 

 District, the Geological Position of Bognor and the Sussex Coast to 

 Brighton, including "Worthing and its vicinity, and some interesting 

 notes on the Chalk formation. 



No one who consults this volume can fail to perceive the energy, 



* Petrificata Derbiensis, 180.9. 



f The Natural History of Northamptonshire, 1712. 





