Reviews — Newtoyi's British Fliocene Vertehrata. 81 



is now admitted from new evidence ; and the discovery of Cervus 

 elaphus and Cervus etueriarum in the Forest Bed is definitely con- 

 firmed. Mr. Newton well remarks that " of two uncertain names 

 it seems best to keep the one which has been so long in use, rather 

 than introduce another equally uncertain ; " and he thus describes 

 the larger teeth of pigs from the Red Crag as Siis antiquus ? Kaup. 

 Hipparion is known only from the Red Crag Nodule-bed ; and while 

 agreeing with Mr. Lydekker that most of the teeth of Rhinoceros 

 from this horizon may best be assigned to R. incisivus, the author 

 considers that some may still belong to R. Schleiermacheri. Elephas 

 meridionalis is definitely known from the Red Crag Nodule-bed, but 

 Elephas antiquus has not been obtained below the Norwich Crag. 

 There is still no evidence of Mastodon in the Forest Bed Series. 

 To be "fashionable" Mr. Newton adopts the name Microtus, which 

 literary " research " has lately shown to be applicable to the Voles ; 

 but " Arvicola " is placed in brackets to explain what is meant. The 

 Cetacean remains from the Crag are treated in accordance with 

 Mr. Lydekker's determinations ; and the so-called tooth of Ursus 

 arvernensis described by Lankester is ascribed to Squalodon. A 

 vertebra and tooth of Orca gladiator from the Forest Bed are new, 

 and another vertebra from the same horizon is referred to Pseudorca, 

 The fish-remains are very fragmentary, but numerous, and the de- 

 scription of several distinct otoliths of Gadus is interesting. One 

 tooth from the Coralline Crag is ascribed to the Wolf-fish (Anarrhichas 

 lupus) ; and the occurrence of Thynnus scaldiensis, also in the Coralline 

 Crag, is confirmed. 



A tabulated list of species and a general summary conclude the 

 Memoir. Notwithstanding the fragmentary character of all the 

 remains, Mr. Newton's most painstaking researches have invested 

 this summary with great interest and value. " It seems from a con- 

 sideration of the Pliocene Vertebrata that the climate of England 

 in the earlier part of that period was decidedly warmer than it is 

 at the present day, and approached sub-tropical conditions ; and that, 

 notwithstanding minor variations which may have subsequently 

 taken place, the general tendency was to become colder, so that 

 in the Forest-bed times the climate was temperate, with, possibly, 

 periods of greater heat and still greater cold, perhaps partly due 

 to continental conditions, which at length culminated in the Glacial 

 or Pleistocene Epoch. The earliest Pleistocene deposit recognized 

 being the ' Ai'ctic Freshwater Bed ' of Norfolk, which is characterized 

 by an assemblage of Arctic plants, and a Spermophilus, and occurs 

 immediately below the Boulder Clay." 



The Geological Society. — The Medals and Funds to be given at 



the Anniversary Meeting of the Geological Society on February 19 have been 

 awarded as follows : — The Wollaston Medal to Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen ; 

 the Murchison Medal to Professor A. H. Green, F.E.S. ; and the Lyell Medal to 

 Mr. George H. Moreton. The balance of the proceeds of the "VVollaston Fund to 

 Mr. 0. A. Derby ; that of the Murchison Fund to Mr. Beeby Thompson ; that 

 of the Lyell Fund to Mr. E. A. Walford and Mr. J. W. Gregory, and a portion of 

 the Barlow-Jameson Fund to Prof. G. Mayer-Eymar. 



DECADE III. — VOL. IX. NO. II. 6 



