324 Revieu-s—Thc Face of the Earth. 



back, and a long green ridge of seaweed remains to mark the limit 

 of its advance. Soon a second wave follows, then the third, and 

 from time to time one somewhat higher than the rest, which whirls 

 the seaweed further up the beach, and drives us back towards the 

 foot of the cliff." 



We are then drawn to examine traces of an older strand, standing 

 high above the existing level of the sea, and to study the history and 

 origin of the displacements of the strand-line. In order to avoid " the 

 adventurous sea of theories for the solid ground of fact " the author 

 uses for the older term " elevation of the land " the negative 

 displacement of the strand-line, and for " subsidence of the land " 

 the 'positive displacement of the straiid-line. 



We are then led to consider the outlines of the Atlantic and Pacific 

 Oceans, and of various lakes and islands. We are, in fact, conducted 

 all over the world, from Greenland to Borneo, to Cochin China and 

 Australia. The characters of the strata forming the lands, and the 

 folds and disturbances to which they have been subjected, are treated 

 in remarkable detail, considering the vastness of the area. The 

 tilted strata of some lands, the horizontal beds of others ; the 

 distribution of the formations, the overlaps ; the changes in fauna that 

 were due to retreat of the sea or to incoming of fresh-water conditions, 

 are among the many topics discussed. Oscillations of relative level 

 of land and water are considered in reference to detrital and 

 calcareous material, and to the sequence of deposits that make up 

 the geological formations. 



In this way the accumulations formed in Palaaozoic, Mesozoic, and 

 Tertiary seas are described. The later evidences of physical changes 

 afforded by the Temple of Serapis and by the Baltic and North Seas 

 are discussed at some length. 



While the margins of the great oceans are seen to be of different 

 ages, the basins are recognized as sunken areas, and "the wedge- 

 like outlines of Africa, India, and Greenland, all pointing towards 

 the south, find their explanation in the conjunction of fields of 

 subsidence which reach their greatest development in the same 

 direction." 



It is difficult to give more than a bare outline of the subjects 

 discussed in this volume, but stratigrapher and palfeontologist, 

 geographer and petrologist, will all find matters of abundant interest. 

 The pity is. as we before stated, that no index is given. The ever- 

 increasing literature precludes time being given by all geologists ta 

 the perusal of a work like the present. There are particular points 

 or sections that specialists may desire to consult ; to them an index 

 would have been most useful. The persistent reader would have 

 been thankful also, as new terms are introduced, and it is not 

 always easy to remember the explanation. 



Despite this drawback we must return thanks to the translator 

 and her gifted father for the pains bestowed on the work, and to 

 quote again, from the concluding part of the volume : " Our voyage 

 of inquiry through libraries and literature is now at an end, and we 

 return to the sublime spectacle which served us as our starting-point. 



