134 Reviews—Prof. J. F. Blake—Annals of British Geology. 
IJ.—Awnats or Bririsu Gronocy, 1891. A Digest or THe Booxs 
AND PAPERS PUBLISHED DURING THE YEAR; WITH OCCASIONAL 
Notrs. By J. F. Buaxe, M.A., F.G.S., etc. 8vo. pp. x—4384; 
6 Plates. (London: Dulau & Co., 1892.) 
E welcome with much pleasure the second issue of this 
extremely useful work of reference, which deserves the 
support of all British geologists. It contains the titles and abstracts 
of 650 papers, or 90 more than that of last year. These are arranged 
under the headings of : General Geology ; Stratigraphical Geology ; 
Paleontology ; Mineralogy ; Petrology; Economics; Maps and 
Sections ; Foreign Geology (published in Britain); Misplaced ; 
Supplement for 1890. The section next to the last is “‘ misplaced” 
as to its heading rather than as to its matter, and would more 
correctly have been styled ‘‘addenda.” The most important addition 
to the present volume is that of the plates. Of these two are maps, 
the others reproductions of the illustrations of new fossils, etc. ; but 
we fail to see how these can be maintained as a feature in such 
a record. 
It is satisfactory to note that the remarks of the compiler, which 
in the previous year were intercalated between [ | in the text, and 
which gave rise to some sharp discussions, are this year confined to 
notes, and fortunately fewer in number, though even now capable of 
further reduction. It is hardly necessary to take up a line of foot- 
note to call attention to an obvious misprint of a 3 for an 8 (p. 50) ; 
nor do such notes as that on p. 57 help anybody. The wise recorder 
obtrudes his personality as little as possible. 
The patience and industry shown in reproducing lists of fossils is 
most praiseworthy ; but one can have too much of a good thing, and 
where a work practically consists entirely of such, it is hardly worth 
while to reproduce it, as in one instance, which covers nine pages 
of these annals, even when the 585 worthless MS. names of the 
original are omitted. 
Space might with advantage, too, be gained in future by omitting 
the section “Foreign Geology (published in Britain),’ which 
necessarily being but the fragment of a larger record is valueless, 
because incomplete, and lies moreover without the scope of ‘‘ British 
Geology.” 
it is a great pity that in the case of works of this sort their value 
really begins only when a number of years have been completed ; 
one or two volumes alone are practically of little moment. Under 
these circumstances all the more credit attaches to the individual 
who, single-handed, has the pluck to undertake so risky a venture, 
and that at a time when Geological Records in this country, at all 
events, are not in particularly high favour. 
We trust that the means will be forthcoming to enable Professor 
Blake to continue a work so well begun, for, as he warns us in his 
preface, “‘the series can only be continued beyond a third volume if 
it be made, at least, self-supporting.” Geologists as a body are not 
wealthy, but are, nevertheless, ever ready to contribute individually 
their mite to a good cause; whilst, as to the wealthy few, verb. 
sap. suff. 
