Reviews — Beclard' s Devonian Spirifers of Belgium. 431 



arguments to prove the extreme value of fossils in stratigraphical 



work ; but such is the case. 



In conclusion, the writer passes beyond the realm of palaeontology 

 to the consideration of the origin of the higher faculties of man and 

 of the prime cause of evolution, questions upon which the author's 

 views may perhaps not be received altogether with general assent ; 

 but these need not be touched upon here. 



On the whole this book is admirably and clearly written. There 

 are many points of deep interest which are discussed in a lucid, if 

 not alway convincing manner; and as an introduction to the outlines 

 of palasontological history for general readers it is to be highly 

 commended, especially as it is by one so distinguished and whose 

 name is so widely known as an accomplished man of science and 

 a most successful teacher. As in the previous volumes of the series, 

 the illustrations and printing are most clear and excellent. 



III. — Les Spiriferes du Coblenzien Belge (Bull. Soc. Beige 

 Geol., ix, pp. 131-240, pis. xi-xv, November 1895) ; and Catalogue 

 Synonymique et critique des Spiriferes du Devonien Inferieur 

 (torn, cit., pp. 260-288, February 1896). By Ferd. Beclard. 



FOR over a dozen years Mr. Beclard has been studying the 

 Spirifers of the Devonian — on the one hand, cai'efully revising 

 the literature and comparing descriptions and figures with the 

 specimens ; on the other hand, making a scientific study of the 

 specimens themselves with the aid of the abundant material in 

 the Natural History Museum at Brussels, to which he is attached. 

 The former branch of inquiry is soul-wearying, thanks to the 

 vagaries of previous authors ; the latter branch is not easy, owing 

 to the remarkable extent of variation in this group, and the difficulty 

 of obtaining specimens suitable for investigation. But both branches 

 are absolutely necessary if the names finally attached to the specimens 

 are to have greater value than mere dealers' labels or the haphazard 

 shots of a schoolboy collector. In a great museum like that at 

 Brussels, we expect that every label shall be the expression of 

 a definite scientific opinion ; for on the accessible collections of such 

 a museum hundreds of students, geologists, and collectors depend, 

 and rightly so, for the names of their own specimens. This fact is 

 recognized by Dr. Duponr, and he has not grudged to Mr. Beclard 

 the twelve years of silent but ultimately fruitful work. 



Careful comparison of the Spirifers from the Coblenzian (Lower 

 Devonian) of Belgium has convinced Mr. Beclard that though there 

 may be scores of names in the books, and actually dozens of 

 mutations, to which on occasion a subspecific name may legitimately 

 be applied, yet that there are only eight distinct specific types, 

 separated from one another without transitional forms. To these 

 are applied the names Spirifer primcevus, S. hystericus, S. sub- 

 cuspidatus, S. ardnennensis, S. cultrijiigatus, S. paradoxus, S. dale- 

 idensis, and S. Trigeri. To these may be added S. curvaius and 

 S. speciosus, which, however, only occur at the top of the Coblenzian, 

 and are characteristic rather of the succeeding beds. The eight 



