72 BihUograpMcal Notice. 



tail. Geinitz, Quenstedt, and others have given geologists general 

 works on fossils ; but they fail to be of use to the English geo- 

 logist, for several reasons. Prof. Owen's ' Palaeontology ' is of too 

 special a character. To help those, then, who wish to be acquainted 

 with British Fossils and their chief peculiarities in character and 

 distribution, Mr. Baily comes forward with a clear and useful guide, 

 supplied with the latest information. 



For educational purposes this book is well adapted, being an aid 

 both to teacher and student ; and for the practical geologist it is 

 a desirable vade meciim, reminding him of the typical fossils of every 

 stage of strata, whether they are characteristic by peculiarity or by 

 relative abundance. 



The work will consist mainly of lithographic plates, accompanied 

 by " explanations " and " descriptive remarks." In each part, pub- 

 lished at short intervals, there will be ten plates of figures ; and by 

 means of these "it is intended to present to the eye faithful copies 

 of the usual and most important fossils found in or characterizing 

 the various stratigraphical divisions into which fossiliferous rocks 

 are arranged by the geologist, with a view to relieve the mind from 

 the necessity of studying the whole series of extinct forms of organic 

 life, now known as fossils, and so that the general aspect of each 

 particular group may be seen at a glance, conveying, it is presumed, 

 with the explanatory remarks, sufficient information for all ordinary 

 purposes, and supplying an essential aid in the identification of 

 strata." 



We really believe that these plates will contain exact representa- 

 tions of both the most remarkable and the most common of fossils 

 (many from original specimens), knowing that the author has had a 

 long experience as naturalist, draughtsman, and palteontologist ; and 

 indeed this first set of the plates, with their explanations, fuUy illus- 

 trate his talent and conscientious care. We must remark, however, 

 that some of the plates are " woolly " in appearance, and that the 

 printer's work might be better ; nevertheless there are but very few 

 real errata. 



The "descriptive remarks" in this first Part comprise: — 1. A 

 succinct note on Paloeontological Geology. 2. A table of the Inver- 

 tebrate portion of the animal kingdom, — imperfect, however, and 

 very loosely put together. 3. A " table of the Fossiliferous or Strati- 

 fied Rocks in the order of their superposition " (mainly after that in 

 the Geological Survey Museum Catalogue), which is adapted for Eng- 

 land and Wales only, except that the "Cambrian" of Ireland is 

 inserted — that of Scothuid and the Laurentian strata of Scotland 

 and the Lewis being omitted. 4. Notes on the assemblage of Fossils 

 of the Cambrian rocks, giving scant credit to the crustacean Palceo- 

 pyge, though in Plate 2 its head is figured as weU as its tail. The 

 Oldhamiae, however, are here well illustrated, some of their living 

 analogues being neatly engraved on wood ; and others might have 

 been added, if the author had thought enough of filamentous Sea- 

 weeds and of the Calciferous Algae or " Corallines " (a name he 

 misapplies to the Hydrozoa throughout) ; nor does he seem to have 



