Bibliographical Notice. 371 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE. 



Figures of Characteristic British Fossils ; ivith Descriptive Remarks. 

 By W. H. Baily, F.L.S., F.G.S., &c. &c. Part IV. 8vo, with 

 12 plates. London : Van Voorst, 1875. 



We welcome with pleasure the fourth Part of Mr. W. H. Baily 'a 

 work, completing the first volume, which is devoted to the Palaeozoic 

 Fossils, and has 48 lithographic plates, drawn by the author himself, 

 and comprising more than 700 figures of fossils ; and of these over 

 300 are original. Tho descriptive remarks on the natural history of 

 the groups of fossils are illustrated with 18 woodcuts, engraved 

 by Mr. W. Oldham, and including 58 figures. The figures are of 

 natural size, except where otherwise mentioned ; and the subjects are 

 arranged zoologically and stratigraphically. 



In this lately published Part IV. we have (pp. li-lxiv) an account 

 of the Old Red Sandstone and Devonian Rocks and their fossils, 

 both those (Plants, Crustaceans, and Fishes) of the possibly fresh- 

 water sandstones and those of the marine beds of Devonshire ; 

 thero must, however, be a slip of the pen at page lx, where the 

 Amorphozoa are included in the Foraminifera . The Carboniferous 

 rocks and their fossils succeed (pp. lxiv-lxxv). The Permian rocks 

 and their fossils are treated of in pp. lxxv-lxxviii ; but their Crustacea, 

 numerous though small, are only noticed by the remark that there 

 are no Permian Trilobites ! A short summary of the Palaeozoic 

 fossils follows (pp. lxxix, lxxx) ; but the notice of the Cambrian 

 fossils ignores what has been worked out of late years in that old 

 Trilobitic fauna (Ptutonia, &c.) by Mr. Hicks and others ; and the 

 occurrence of the first land-plant in the Uppermost Silurian and of 

 the first fish in the Lower Ludlow (not " the very uppermost ") beds 

 would be of interest to the student. 



The subjects of the plates are carefully chosen and truthfully drawn 

 by the author, as in the earlier Parts ; and some are clearer in out- 

 line, apparently engraved on stone. The " Explanations " are well 

 planned and concise, as usual. Fig. 16 of plate 41, though not in 

 the Explanation, is noticed at p. lxxv. "End view" at p. 119, 

 third line, should be " edge view." " Scowleri " for " Scouleri," and 

 other slight mistakes, show the want of literary editing, which is still 

 more evident throughout the Descriptive Remarks. A long list of 

 Errata and Addenda (pp. 125, 126) in some measure meets this 

 deficiency ; and the reader, correcting for himself as he proceeds, 

 will find no hindrance to his becoming acquainted with upwards of 

 700 characteristic fossil forms, carefully selected out of the 4000 

 British Palaeozoic species, well illustrated, and elucidated by descrip- 

 tive remarks on their natural history and their places in the geological 

 series. 



There is no doubt of Mr. Baily'a well-arranged Book of British 

 Fosaila being of the greatest use to the geological professor, studont, 

 and amateur. Mr. Baily is an ardent palaeontologist, skilled artist, 

 and experienced teacher ; and he has evidently devoted his scant 



