Beviews — The Calahro- Sicilian Earthquake. 571 



arrived at regarding the affinities of the various groups described, 

 and contains the views of one than whom there is none more 

 competent to expi'ess an opinion on the subject under discussion. 



The results attained from the study of the Palaeozoic flora lead to 

 most interesting conclusions as to the antecedents of our existing 

 flora, and certain points are prominently brought out. The first of 

 these that strikes one is the entire disappearance of the ti'aditional 

 simple type of structure which was supposed to characterize the 

 Carboniferous flora, the truth being that the Palaeozoic plant type 

 (at least as far back as the basement beds of the Carboniferous 

 formation) is of a much more complex nature than is found to occur 

 in the representatives of the similar groups at present existing ; it is 

 also further seen that it is quite possible that the recent Equisetacece 

 are not derived from the Catamites, but are descendants of a simpler 

 type which was contemporary with them, and there seems to be 

 even less room for doubt that our Lycopodium and Selaginella have 

 descended from a group of herbaceous Lycopods which existed side 

 by side with the Zepidodendra, of which we have clear evidence 

 as far back as the basement beds of the Carboniferous formation. 

 The Lepidodendra appear to have entirely disappeared with Palseozoic 

 times and to have transmitted no descendants to later formations. 



" Studies in Fossil Botany " is one of the most valuable additions 

 to the literature of Palaeozoic botany which has appeared for many 

 years, and shows the advance made during the last decade in the 

 knowledge of the structure and classification of fossil plants. The 

 student of recent botany also profits from such a volume as that 

 issued by Dr. Scott, for it is impossible to fully understand the 

 existing vegetation without a knowledge of the source from which it 

 has been derived. 



Dr. Scott possesses the great faculty of clear description and 

 ability to grasp the salient structural features of the plants about 

 which he writes, and this, coupled with his great knowledge of 

 Palseozoic plant structures, makes his "Studies" indispensable to 

 all students of botany ; and we can only congratulate the author on 

 the issue of a work the appearance of which has been looked for 

 with so much interest. 



The illustrations, 151 in number, are well chosen and excellent in 

 every respect, and many of them have been specially prepared for 

 the author. The Index, a most important adjunct, is also very 

 complete. R. K. 



II. — The Calabro-Sicilian Earthquake of Novejiber 16, 1S94:^ 



(1) G. Mercalli, "I terremoti della Calabria meridionale e del 



Messinese " : Memorie della Soc. Ital. delle Scienze, vol. xi 

 (1897), pp. 1-154. 



(2) A. Ricco, " Riassunto della sismografia del terremoto calabro- 



siculo del 16 novembre, 1894": Rend, della R. Accad. del 

 Lincei, vol. viii (1899), pp. 3-12, 35-45. 



