' Revieivs — Hutchinson's PreJdstoric Man and Beast. 77 



Tlie splendid photographs of the famous glacial conglomerate of 

 Wild Duck Creek, brought out by Mr. Dunn in 1892, are probably- 

 familiar to some of our readers. The striated bed-rock, believed to 

 be of Silurian age, is most strikingly shown. The subject has been 

 recently brought before the Geological Society by Professor 

 Edgeworth David (February, 1896), who called attention to the 

 " Evidences of Glacial Action in Australia in Permo-Carboniferous 

 Times." It is of course obvious that, if a mountain range 

 attained a certain elevation, it must have been glaciated ; but 

 this was more than a mere local phenomenon, and undoubtedly 

 suggests questions of immense interest in relation to the history 

 of the Earth's crust. Quite recently Mr. Strahan has brought to the 

 notice of the Geological Society of London what he regards as 

 Glacial phenomena of Palaeozoic age in the Varanger Fjord. 



Conceding its full weight to the evidence of some glaciation in 

 Australia, and possibly in South Africa, and even India, in Permo- 

 Carboniferous times, it must be admitted that the geological record 

 is by no means conclusive as to the frequent occurrence of Glacial 

 epochs. On the whole it may be said that, whilst cosmogonists and 

 speculative physicists are perfectly ready to accept evidences of 

 glaciation, and even of several Glacial epochs, throughout the ages, 

 yet geologists, with few exceptions, have failed to draw those 

 inferences which the astronomical hypothesis requires. 



It may interest those who are intending to purchase a copy of 

 this work, that the pi'ofits of the sale of the book are to be handed 

 to the widow of Dr. Croll, who has been left in somewhat straitened 

 circumstances. 



II. — Prehistoric Man and Beast. By the Eev. H. N. Hutchinson, 

 B.A., F.G.S. With Illustrations. 8vo; pp. xxiii, 298. (London, 

 1896 : Smith, Elder & Co. Price 10s. M.) 



THE author, an old Rugbeian, who learned his first lessons in 

 Geology under that able and enthusiastic teacher the Ven. 

 J. M. Wilson (now Archdeacon of Manchester), makes his third 

 public appearance in the volume before us. His previous works, 

 "Extinct Monsters" and "Creatures of Other Days," have made 

 his name known as a successful popular writer, more especially 

 as they inspired the clever " Prehistoric Peeps " which were con- 

 tributed to Fimch by Mr. E. T. Eeed. Unfortunately, this artist 

 in his later sketches has allowed his imagination to run riot with 

 the subject, and to mar the scientific humour of his work. 



"Prehistoric Man and Beast" is a book which aims to give, in 

 a simple style, some of the most interesting results arrived at of 

 late years on the antiquity of Man and of the animals associated 

 with him. Such an undertaking is no light one. Above all, a sound 

 judgment must be combined with the knowledge acquired by 

 extensive reading, and with clearness and facility of expression. 

 Only with respect to the first of these qualifications do wo find 

 occasional fault with the author, though we can well believe that 

 innocence rather than intention has in certain instances warped 



