Reviews and Book Notices. 63 



An Introduction to Geology, by W. B. Scott, Ph.D., LL.D. New 



York : The MacMillan Company. 816 pp., 2nd edition, 22/- net. 



This excellent volume is intended to serve the same purpose in America 

 that Sir Archibald Geikie's well-known ' Class-book ' does in this country, 

 and there can be little doubt that Dr. Scott has rendered a great service 

 to American geology in producing the book. That it is appreciated is 

 shewn from the comparatively short time that has elapsed between the 

 publication of the first and second editions. In the interval, the author 

 has had the advantage of many suggestions, of a good proportion of which 

 he has availed himself. A perusal of the pages, and of the beautiful 

 series of illustrations, almost makes an English geologist envious of his 

 American brothers in their wealth of geological phenomena on a grand 

 scale. The chapters on ' The Atmosphere,' ' Running Water,' ' Snow and 

 Ice,' ' Lakes,' etc., are particularly striking from the admirable illustra- 

 tions which are given, many of which are such as could only have been 

 taken from America. The chapters devoted to the later geological deposits 

 and their extraordinary contents are illustrated in a style that would 

 make an English writer hesitate. The volume has been prepared in an 

 unusually substantial and careful manner, and will doubtless long be the 

 book of its kind across the water. To English geologists it will prove of 

 great worth for purposes of comparison. 



Scientific Confirmations of Old Testament History, by G. 

 Frederick Wright, D.D., LL.D., etc. Bibliotheca Sacra Co., Oberlin. 

 Ohio, U.S.A. 422 pp., $2 net. 



Prof. Wright's reputation as the leader of the school of glacialists in 

 America ; his brilliant books on ' The Ice Age in North America,' ' Man 

 and the Glacial Period,' ' Greenland Ice Fields,' etc. ; and his gift as a 

 lecturer — a gift appreciated by many English geologists who have heard 

 him — demand that any production from his pen should receive the careful 

 consideration of the scientific world. In the present book, which has 

 now been published some little time. Prof. Wright hopes to do ' something 

 to re-establish confidence in the historical statements of the Old Testament, 

 and, at the same time, of so unfolding the marvellous geological events of the 

 post-Tertiary period, as to incite the general reader to a closer study of its 

 significant andoverwhelmingfacts, which invite investigation on every hand.' 



Prof. Wright has visited the districts he describes, and whilst much 

 of the matter dealt with in the volume does not come within the scope of 

 this journal, we cannot but admire the ingenious way in which many of 

 the extraordinary occurrences recorded in the Bible are here explained. 

 The geologist will find much in the volume to interest him — particularly 

 that part relating to the author' s investigation of the loess of Northern 

 China, a deposit which he carefully examined and here describes in detail. 

 With regard to the ' Evidences of a Deluge in Europe,' we notice that 

 Prof. Wright is a disciple of the late Prof. Prestwich. He accepts Prest- 

 wich's view of the origin of the rubble drift, and shelters himself behind 

 Prestwich 's great reputation ; though at the same time he has been over 

 much of the ground described by that author. There can, of course, be 

 no question of the great floods covering the northern hemisphere at the 

 close of the glacial period, and there is also evidence of a great destruction 

 of animal species, whose remains are found with palaeolithic man. Con- 

 sequently the arguments brought forward by Prof. Wright should receive 

 every consideration in dealing with this matter. In perusing this book, 

 we naturally were anxious to see how far the well-known works of Sir 

 Henry H. Howorth had influenced our author. Oddly enough, we can 

 only find one reference to that writer, as follows : — ' No doubt the greater 

 part of the arguments for the Flood, drawn from the loess by Sir Henry 

 Howorth and others, are explained by fuller knowledge of the irregularities 

 produced by the slowly-melting ice-sheet.' We don't quite know whether 

 Sir Henry would be altogether pleased with this interpretation of his 

 three big books ! 



1909 February i. 



