Miscellanies. 195 



over all the chains of mountains in Scotland, Ireland, and England, a dis- 

 covery which brings strong confirmation to his theory. The Athenaeum, 

 Literary Gazette, reports of the proceedings of the Geological Society, 

 &.C. have given a particular account of his observations, and of those of 

 Dr. Buckland and Mr. Lyell on this subject. We have inserted a notice 

 from the hand of a friend, but had not room in this number for a much 

 fuller account in the reports of the Geological Society. 



It will be very important that American geologists, guided by the work 

 of Prof Agassiz, should attentively study the similar phenomena which 

 may doubtless be observed in North America. The works of the author 

 abound with fine plates, and whether of minute molluscs or stupendous 

 icy peaks, and domes or seas of ice, they are highly illustrative and beau- 

 tiful. His works being very expensive, he has been repeatedly aided by 

 funds from the British Association, but several of them have been un- 

 dertaken at his own risk. Most of them are quartos, but the plates are 

 in .some instances folios. We invite American naturalists and institutions 

 to encourage these arduous and responsible labors by purchasing the works, 

 which may be obtained through Mr. Augustus Mayor, of New York, No. 

 63, William st. 



The first livraison of the fossil echinodermata of Switzerland, costs 

 fifteen francs ; the second, twelve francs ; the fossil molluscs, twelve 

 francs ; the moulds of molluscs, twelve francs ; the glaciers with the 

 splendid atlas, forty francs ; the catalogue of the echinodermata, one 

 franc. We are astonished at the variety, precision, and extent of the la- 

 bors of this illustrious naturalist. He proves in his own case the possi- 

 bility of cultivating successfully, at the same time, several different divis- 

 ions of a great subject, and of bringing them out with almost unprece- 

 dented rapidity, and still without confusion or inconvenient delay. He 

 has already pledged himself to so many important sequences of his begun 

 labors, that we feel equally obligated and disposed cordially to wish him 

 health and long life. 



7. Sketch of the Geology of North America, being the substance of a 

 memoir read before the Ashmolean Society, Nov. 26, 1838 ; by Charles 

 Daubeny, M. D., F. R. S., &-C. Oxford, 1839. — Although some time 

 has now elapsed since the reading and publication of this memoir and 

 since its reception by us, yet as it contains matter of considerable interest, 

 it may not be amiss (although this notice has been longer delayed than 

 we could have wished) briefly to review its contents, especially as it comes 

 to us from one to whom science is under very many obligations. 



From the short time which the writer passed in this country, having 

 been absent from home scarcely a year, including a visit to Cuba, it can- 

 not be expected that personal observation alone would have enabled him 

 to give even a general view of the geology of our country, and we accord- 



