600 



SCIENCE. 



I N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 200. 



C. Case. It is meant to be the first of a series on 

 vertebrates. Editorials and reviews close the 

 number. 



The Journal of Geology, July-August, 1898 : 

 ' The Ulterior Basis of Time Divisions and 

 the Classification of Geologic History :' T. C. 

 Chamberlin. Apropos of the symposium in the 

 last number the author seeks some world-wide 

 parallel, geologic phenomena which may af- 

 ford a suitable basis for geological classification. 

 He urges the possible validity of great geologic 

 disturbances, which he argues are in the nature 

 of general shortening of all the radii of the 

 earth, but of comparatively greater short- 

 ening of those under the sea bottoms. The 

 effects on the regions of sedimentation and conti- 

 nental encroachment on the sea are indicated. 

 ' The Post-glacial Connecticut at Turner's 

 Falls, Mass. :' M. S. W. Jefferson. The paper 

 describes the interesting rearrangements of 

 drainage lines along the Connecticut river near 

 the famous ' bird-track' quarries. The agency 

 of ice is invoked to explain the two abandoned 

 channels, with their former waterfalls and pot- 

 holes, which now are ponds. ' The Variations 

 of Glaciers, III. : ' H. F. Reid. Reports during 

 1897 to the International Committee indicate 

 a marked retreat of glaciers in general, with 

 one or two small advances in Scandinavia. 

 ' Notes on the Kalamazoo and other Old 

 Glacial Outlets in Southern Michigan:' C. H. 

 Gordon. The paper deals with several aban- 

 doned river channels and their relations to the 

 modern streams. The region lies along the 

 general latitude of Port Huron and extends 

 from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The 

 paper is accompanied by a map whose excessive 

 reduction taxes the eyesight beyond reason. 

 ' Notes on some Igneous, Metamorphic and 

 Sedimentary Rocks of the Coast Ranges of Cali- 

 fornia :' H. W. Turner. This valuable con- 

 tribution takes up first the metabasalts and 

 diabases of the Coast Ranges. More or less 

 altered rocks are traced back to original, erup- 

 tive diabases, although in some instances they 

 had been regarded previously by geologists as 

 metamorphosed sediments, i. e., pseudo- 

 diabases. Observations on serpentines are also 

 given. The author next discusses the Francis- 



can, or Golden Gate formation. This contains^ 

 the interesting blue amphibole (glaucophane) 

 schists that are generally familiar to petrogra- 

 phers. The age of the formation is thought to 

 be older than that of the Knoxville, i. e., to be 

 Jurassic. An argument is made against the 

 necessary origin of the blue schists by contact 

 metamorphism. The San Pablo formation is 

 next taken up and its stratigraphical position is 

 discussed on the basis of fossils. Comparisons 

 are drawn with the auriferous gravels. Under 

 the 'Studies for Students,' E. C. Case con- 

 tinues his brief review of the development 

 and geological relations of the vertebrates, and 

 treats of the Amphibia and Reptilia. Editorial 

 remarks, a number of summaries of pre-Cam- 

 brian literature and reviews close the number. 



NEW BOOKS. 



The Tides, and Kindred Phenomena in the Solar 

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 1898. Pp. xviii+378. 



A Manual of Chemical Analysis. G. S. Nkwth. 

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Manual of Determinative Mineralogy with an In- 

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 Fifteenth Edition. New York, John Wiley 

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 1898. Pp. x + 312. 



Elementary Zoology. Frank E. Beddard. New 

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 1898. Pp. vi-f 208. 



Lecture Notes on the Theory of Electrical Measure- 

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Human Immortality ; Two Supposed Objections to 

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 The Copper Dam Process for Piers ; Practical Ex' 

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