Notes and Comments. 323 
A channel ran eastward south of the Lakeland mass into York- 
shire, and another southward of the Wales mass. It had 
become possible to trace in some detail the changes in the geo- 
graphy of these two channels and the differentiation of the 
northern land mass into islands in the Carboniferous seas. 
THE CLASSIFICATION OF LAND FORMS. 
Mr. J. D. Falconer read a remarkable paper with the above 
heading to a joint meeting of the Geographical and Geological 
Sections, in which he stated it is proposed to set up two classes 
of land forms, each containing two orders :—Class A, Endogen- 
etic Forms: Order I. Negative Forms; Order II. Positive 
Forms. Class B, Exogenetic Forms: Order I. Degradation 
Forms; Order II. Aggradation Forms. The two orders of 
endogenetic forms are then subdivided into four families : 
Family 1, Forms due to superficial volcanic activity ; 2, Forms 
due to sub-crustal volcanic activity ; 3, Forms due to radial 
movements ; 4, Forms due to tangential movements. Similarly 
the two orders of exogenetic forms are each subdivided into 
nine families : Family 1, Forms due to the action of the run-off ; 
and eight other forms due to the action of percolating water, 
streams and rivers, life, lightning, sun-heat, the atmosphere, 
frozen water, and the sea. He then sub-divides these nine 
families into genera, and species or specific forms. This means, 
for example, that there are quite a number of land forms due 
to the action of lightning. As was pointed out during the 
discussion, supposing one is viewing a landscape is it not much 
better to describe in English exactly what one sees rather than 
to say that the view represents a certain species of a certain 
genus of a certain form of a certain order of a certain class of 
land form? Even if such a description is accurate, according 
to the suggested classification, the student must have a classi- 
fication in his own hands before he can form any idea of the 
nature of the landscape in question. As Professor Cole pointed 
out in the discussion, surely it is better to use the English 
language as tersely, as accurately, and above all as beautifully 
as we are able (and few writers to-day excel Professor Cole in 
his charming descriptive language). ‘By all means,’ said 
Professor Cole, ‘let us use our own language to the best of 
our ability, as after all it is the power of language which dis- 
tinguishes man from the foraminifera ! ’ 
———— ° oO 2 
The collection of local books and pamphlets formed by the late J. 
Horsfall Turner, which includes about five thousand items (a fifth of 
which refer to Halifax), has been offered to the Halifax Corporation for 
the nominalsum of £50, and the recommendation of the Library Committee 
to accept it has been adopted. 
1915 Oct. 1. 
