Reviews — Great Indian Earthquake. 331 



peak." We venture to think, however, that this assertion, qualified 

 though it be, is still rather stronger than the evidence. 



Owing to the dolomitization and phosphatization of the limestones 

 the palEBontologioal collections were not rich. The few Molluscau 

 remains obtained are described by Mr. E. B. Newton. The corals, 

 which were more abundant, but still not in so satisfactory' a condition 

 as could be desired, were carefully worked out by Dr. Gregory, and 

 include representatives of nineteen determinable species, of which 

 eight are new. Their general character is typically Indo-Pacific. 



The Forarainifera, of which the limestones, especially the Miocene 

 (orbitoidal), are largely composed, had mainly to be studied from 

 sections, and are reported on by those past masters of the subject, 

 Professor T, Kupert Jones and Mr. F. Chapman, who have made 

 their work as comprehensive as possible in tlie time, and hope at 

 some future date to furnish further details. Unfortunatel}', beyond 

 a "list of species of Orbitoides" there is no summary of the results 

 set forth in the thirty-nine pages to which their report extends. 



A " note on the composition of some dolomitic and other lime- 

 stones " from the island, by Mr. E. W. Skeats, completes the 

 geological matter in the monograph. 



As regards the get-up of the work, Ave are glad to note that the 

 print is better than in many Government publications with which 

 we are acquainted, whilst the plates, although somewhat closel}' 

 cut, are of the quality which we have become accustomed to expect 

 in the publications of the British Museum. Concerning the views 

 reproduced in the text, however, we prefer to be silent: our remarks 

 mi^ht be considered libellous. B. B. W. 



III. — Eeport on the Great Earthquake of June 12th. 1897. 

 By R. D. Oldham, A.R.S.M., F.G.S., Superintendent, Geological 

 Survey of India. Mem. Geol. Survey of India, vol. xxix. 

 (Calcutta, 1899.) 



PHYSICAL geologists will with one accord be grateful to 

 Mr. Oldham for his admirable report on the Indian earthquake 

 of 1897. Chief among modern shocks, if not among all recorded 

 shocks, the wonderful phenomena which it presented, and the wide 

 area over which they were observed, combined to render the earth- 

 quake in every way remarkable and deserving of the most careful 

 study. Fortunately, it was possible to give to it the attention which 

 its exceptional character demanded. Four officers of the Indian 

 Geological Survey were despatched to different parts of the area 

 chiefly aff'ected, and, about six months later, Mr. Oldham made as 

 thor'ough an examination of the epicentral tract as his limited time 

 and the impracticable nature of the country would allow. The 

 results of all this labour are as important as they are novel and 

 interesting ; and those who have been engaged in similar work will 

 be the first to recognize that we are here presented with a record 

 report as well as a record earthquake. 



The study of such an earthquake must have been an almost 

 unalloyed pleasure to its investigator. There was no need to spend 



