OCTOBER 29, 1897. ] 
The description of the lake beds above 
mentioned suggests a recurrence to a note 
in a recent number of Scrancr. The lower 
beds, 200 feet of well-indurated clays, are 
covered with sandstones and conglomerates, 
“much cross-bedded and greatly resembling 
the Pliocene lake beds so common in the 
mountain valleys of Montana.’ The upper 
beds range from marls to conglomerates, 
varying rapidly in kind and composition. 
Ts it not probable that these variable upper 
beds are largely of fluviatile origin ? 
SCENERY OF YELLOWSTONE PARK. 
‘Some geological causes of the scenery of 
Yellowstone National Park’ are discussed 
by A. R. Crook (Amer. Geol. XX., 1897, 
159-167), but with inadequate attention to 
the action of ordinary erosive processes. 
Mention is briefly made of the uplift of 
various mountains, but their extensive de- 
nudation into existing forms is hardly re- 
ferred to, except under the head of glacial 
action, which is given an excessive value. 
The extreme youth of the Yellowstone 
Canyon in contrast to the maturely sculp- 
tured valleys of its headwaters, one of the 
most striking features of the Park, finds no 
mention. Although punctuated here and 
there by geyser basins and surrounded by a 
frame of bold mountains, the monotony of 
the scenery over large rhyolite areas will 
disappoint many visitors who read exclama- 
tory descriptions of this ‘ Wonderland of 
America.’ The bicycle as a means of travel 
in the Park deserves notice to intending 
visitors of the hardier kind. 
THE PHLEGRHAN FIELDS. 
THE Oxford University Geographical Stu- 
dentship, held in 1895-96 by R. T. Gun- 
ther, leads to an essay under the above 
title as the result of extended field work 
(London Geogr. Journ., X., 1897, 412-485). 
The area studied lies west of Naples—a re- 
gion of ‘ crater-like hills and hollows, vol- 
SCIENCE. 
657 
canic ridges and trachytic rocks,’ known as 
the Campi flegrei, or Burning fields. It is as- 
sociated with level stretches of fertile vol- 
canie soil, spread by water or other agency 
and known as the Campagna felice. Volcanic 
activity, as a cause of topographic features, 
has here been manifested in a slow outwell- 
ing of fluid materials, forming heaps or 
streams of lava ; or in explosive discharges, 
forming craters surrounded by circular ring- 
walls of débris. The older volcanoes are 
much altered by stream and marine erosion, 
as well as by later voleanic action. Twenty- 
six craters more or less completely pre- 
served are described and classified accord- 
ing to relative age. The later craters are 
smaller and nearer the shore than the older 
ones. 
In view of the well-determined occur- 
rence of calderas, as a result of destructive 
volcanic action in contrast to the construc- 
tive action that produces typical craters, it 
is to be regretted that no consideration is 
given to the differences between these two 
serviceable types of volcanic forms. 
W. M. Davis. 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY. 
CURRENT NOTES ON ANTHROPOLOGY. 
THE PRESENT POSITION OF ETHNOGRAPHY. 
TuERE has lately been published, from 
the pen of Dr. Andrew Lincke, an interest- 
ing survey of the present position and re- 
cent contributions to the science of eth- 
nography. Although his main attention is 
directed to the area of Germany, and par- 
ticularly Saxony, he has also made an exami- 
nation of what has lately been done for Asia 
and other parts of the world. His pamph- 
let of ninety-two pages is much more than 
a catalogue of books and papers. He un- 
dertakes to assign their respective value to 
those which he has himself read, and, al- 
though his notices are necessarily brief, they 
will be found useful indications to the reader 
and student. Dr. Lincke is himself well 
