146 



NA TURE 



[December 14, 1899 



of animals. With the exception of the important labours 

 and influence of Cuvier, to which both merited tribute 

 and critical consideration are here accorded, this portion 

 of the subject is dismissed with a scantiness of treatment 

 that is somewhat disappointing. In this work geology 

 and paleontology are dealt with together, in corre- 

 spondence with the fact of their close association and 

 concurrent development, for it is only of comparatively 

 recent years that the study of palaeontology has come to 

 be rightly regarded in its true relation to that of zoology. 



Fully three-quarters of the volume are occupied by 

 the fourth section, dealing with the newer development 

 of geology and palaeontology, and for convenience of 

 treatment the large mass of material here to be incor- 

 porated is divided into seven chapters. In the first three 

 of these the more recent advances in the study of cosmic, 

 physiographical and dynamic geology receive careful 

 and detailed attention. In the third chapter we are pre- 

 sented with an excellent summary of the work of Lyell ; 

 while from a good epitome and brief criticism of Suess's 

 *'Antlitz der Erde" we learn in what high estimation 

 that work is held by Prof. Zittel. The chapter on the 

 development of dynamic geology is throughout ex- 

 haustive ; but in attempting to give credit to the work of 

 so many contributors, the author must often impose a 

 tax on the attention of his readers. This will be notice- 

 able, indeed, in all these later chapters of the book, 

 when the historian has approached a period in the de- 

 velopment of the science marked by an ever-increasing 

 prolificacy in the production of special publications, and 

 as a result of this effort to give recognition to a legion 

 of authors great and small, the pages show a tendency 

 to become burdened with the mere lists of names of 

 many who have contributed to our knowledge in the 

 respective branches of the subject. A chapter devoted 

 to topographical geology, in which the most prominent 

 position is accorded to Germany, gives useful information 

 regarding the growth of geological surveys. 



The three concluding chapters deal with the more 

 recent development of stratigraphy, petrography and 

 palaeontology. In tracing the growth of stratigiaphy, the 

 several geological systems are separately treated, and the 

 Triassic System is dealt with at greatest length. The 

 development of study in the Alpine Trias here finds a 

 prominent place, and in this connection it is noteworthy 

 that Prof. Zittel, even when recounting the progress of a 

 recent warmly-conducted polemic discussion on a ques- 

 tion of nomenclature, has succeeded in preserving neu- 

 trality. Chapter vi. furnishes a brief though comprehen- 

 sive account of the later development of petrography, in 

 which the principal work of recent years, for the most 

 part without criticism, is recapitulated. 



The volume concludes with an account of more recent 

 labours in palaeontology, but it must be with a feeling 

 akin to disappointment that we complete the perusal of 

 this portion of the work. In a chapter dealing with that 

 subject in which Prof. Zittel has acquired his well- 

 merited reputation as the leading authority, the method 

 and fulness of treatment fall below our expectations. The 

 endeavour to refer, though it be by mere mention, to so 

 much that has been of recent years accomplished in this 

 department, and this at the risk of reducing a certain 

 proportion of the text to the character of a mere compen- 

 NO. 1572, VOL. 61] 



dium of authors' names, is here too plainly apparent. 

 By this objective presentation of details the author must 

 in great measure forfeit that interest which a broader and 

 more critical treatment would have commanded. 



Great care has been bestowed in editing this work, and 

 such errors as the misspelling of the name" MacCulloch" 

 on p. 165, and the omission of two reference numbers on 

 P- 793) ^re of rare occurrence. Carefully quoted litera- 

 ture references have been appended, on the whole, with 

 sufficient liberality ; but the author's apology for devoting 

 so much space to this purpose appears superfluous, and it 

 must be obvious, especially when looked at from the 

 student's point of view, that frequency in referring to 

 original sources of information can only enhance the 

 value of a book of this kind. 



Little need be added in recommendation of this com- 

 prehensive work ; the terse and lucid style of its author 

 will commend it to English readers. By the completion 

 of his arduous task. Prof Zittel has well supplied a long- 

 felt want, and all who interest themselves in the study of 

 geology, towards the development of which Great Britain 

 has so conspicuously contributed, will warmly welcome the 

 appearance of this volume from the pen of one who takes 

 rank among the ablest living expounders of a noble 

 science. F. L. K. 



THE FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 

 The Students Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying 



Islands. By Thomas Kirk, F.L.S. A Fragment. 



Pp. vi 4- 408. Large 8vo. (Wellington, N.Z., 1899.) 

 List of the Genera and Species of New Zealand Plants. 



By A. Hamilton. (Wellington, N.Z., 1899.) 



IT was well known in botanical circles that the late 

 Prof Thomas Kirk, of Wellington, New Zealand, 

 who died about a year ago, had long been engaged in 

 the preparation of a comprehensive, descriptive, and 

 illustrated work on the flora of that country ; and it was 

 a great disappointment when it transpired that he had 

 left his work in an unfinished state, because it was felt 

 that it would be extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, 

 to find another botanist so well qualified for the task. 

 Prof Kirk spent some thirty years of his life in the 

 mvestigation of the flora of his adopted country, and his 

 various writings thereon betoken the careful and accurate 

 botanist. From time to time he published the new 

 species discovered by himself and others ; but his fully 

 illustrated " Forest Flora of New Zealand" gave evidence 

 of the extent of his knowledge of his subject. A more 

 remarkable and, in a scientific sense, a more important 

 contribution to the botanical literature of New Zealand 

 is contained in an address delivered before the Philo- 

 sophical Society of Wellington, N.Z., a few years ago 

 (see Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, voL 

 xxviii.). In this address he dealt with the "Displace- 

 ment and Replacement of the Native Vegetation of New 

 Zealand " in such a manner as to be of permanent value 

 to science. He has there put on record facts connected 

 with the introduction and colonisation of exotic plants in 

 New Zealand that positively throw a new light, and 

 suggest new ideas, on the present distribution of plants 

 in cultivated countries generally. Fortunately the 



