124 Reviews—Nova- Scotian Institute. 
might expect to find illustrations of the theory of the “ Evolution of 
species by the gradual alteration of existing forms.” I do not think, 
however, that the evidence yielded by these deposits is, on the whole, 
favourable to that theory ; for if I read it aright it is something like 
this: In the lowest beds we find a certain number of species of 
various Orders, Radiata, Echinodermata, Crustacea, and Mollusca. 
Each species seems to have its central typical form, with varieties 
diverging on either side until they approach the like divergent 
varieties of other species. Thus, on an horizontal line representing 
SPACE, we have species with central forms, very distinct, but united 
by divergent varieties; and then, ascending upwards through strata 
representing TIME, we meet with the same central types and the like 
variations surviving through an immense period of time, and all the 
many changes of condition referred to. New species are added in 
the upper beds; but we do not meet with that gradual vertical 
divergence from the old types to the new which would certainly be 
the case if such new species were but the modified descendants of 
the older forms. And if we contrast the species which appear for 
the first time in the middle or upper bands of limestone with those 
characteristic of the old, suppose we take Orthis and Leptena among 
the Brachiopoda, or Corals among the Zoophytes, we shall perceive 
how great the divergence is; and we look in vain for those transi- 
tional forms which, supposing the theory to be true, we ought 
certainly to find in the intervening strata.’ 
Mr. H. DuckworrH gives a note On the San Ciro Cave, near 
Palermo. A section of the strata at Thatto Heath, near Rainhill, 
by Mr. G. H. Morton, is referred to, by which he showed ‘the cer- 
tainty of productive beds of coal being beneath the Trias, and that 
they were cut off by the great fault which throws up the Coal- 
measures.’ Lastly, Mr. T. J. Moore mentions the chief fossils in 
the Derby Museum of Liverpool. 
THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE NovA-ScoTIAN INSTITUTE OF NATURAL 
Science or Harirax, Nova Scoria, Vol. Il. Part 1, 1864. 
APTAIN C. HARDY gives an account of the Caplin or Cape- 
lan (Mallotus villosus), which represents perhaps the only species 
of fish found both fossil and recent, unless some of the ear-bones 
(Otolites) from the Post-tertiary and Tertiary Strata prove good 
witnesses of still-existing species, when Mr. H. Higgins’ researches 
shall have been completed. In the Grou. Mac., No. II., Dr. Sars 
described the Norwegian nodules containing Caplins. Prof. How 
describes the Mineral Springs of Wilmot, N. S., marked by the 
presence of sulphate of lime, like some springs of other parts of 
Nova Scotia that are known to traverse Gypsiferous rocks. Mr. 
Gossip presents some notes on the Slate and Granite District near 
Halifax; noticing, among other things, that though a hard gneissose 
quartzite, good for flagging, can be quarried close by, Halifax sends 
to Caithness for pavement-stones. The granite at Halifax seems to 
