1909 BIBLIOGRAPHIC 



Martin Simpson was " born 20th November, 1798, and he died 

 31st December, 1892."'- He acted for many years as Curator of the 

 Whitby Museum, and " in i860 the Council granted him the .... 

 remuneration of £10 per annum, which he received till his death." 1 

 He was no arm-chair palaeontologist : his practical field acquaintance 

 with the strata and fossils of the Yorkshire Lias was obviously most 

 intimate (1884, vi) ; and his knowledge of the horizons from which 

 species were obtained must have been extensive : he has recorded many 

 useful data. 



This intimate field-knowledge, coupled with a keen eye for differences 

 of shape, led him — at any rate in the case of the Ammonites — to make 

 many more species than his contemporaries would admit ; and partly 

 to this tendency may be attributed his failure to receive assistance for 

 the publication of his works with due illustrations. 



This deficiency it is now hoped to supply ; and the figuring of the 

 types of Simpson's Ammonite-species may furnish evidence necessary 

 for judgment as to whether his views were correct. It is expected to 

 show that his specific nomenclature is justifiable on the whole — that 

 he was, in fact, unfortunately for himself, far in advance of his time. 



Though he was so favourable to giving many names to species, 

 he was the opposite in regard to genera (1884, 3). This, perhaps, explains 

 the attitude that he adopted towards the pioneer in naming Ammonite 

 genera — Alpheus Hyatt — when he visited Whitby Museum.^ 



In regard to the present edition of the Yorkshire authors, a few 

 remarks may be necessary. 



The original descriptions will be given in full ; but no promise can 

 yet be made about the reproduction of the original figures. 



Editorial comments will be as abbreviated as possible. Some 

 discussion in regard to the application of generic names, especially where 

 genotypes are doubtful, and some new generic appellations are unavoid- 

 able. The former will be as short as f)Ossible, and the latter as few as 

 the necessities of the case require : it is well, however, to remember 

 that more efficient work can be produced with sufficient tools than with 

 too few. 



After the descriptive matter is a list of species comparable with the 

 subject — generally on the right-hand page, with room for manuscript 

 additions, since the list does not pretend to be exhaustive. Cited 

 species may, or may not, belong to the same genus as the subject. 



Dates are given carefully to show whether priority belongs to the 

 cited species or the subject. Authorities for dates of some works issued 

 in parts are : — 



E. Renevier, Dates publ. ; Bull. Soc. Vaud. Sci. Nat., 1855 —  

 for the SowERBYs' Mineral Conchology : a rare pamphlet, very kindly 

 lent by Mr. C. D. Sherborn, F.G.S. 



C. D. Sherborn, Dates Pal. Fran?. ; Geol. Mag. (4) VI, 1899, 223, 

 — for d'Orbigny's Ceph., Terr. Jur., Pal. Fran?. 



G. C. Crick, Am. calcar ; Geol. Mag. (4) VI, 1899, 554, — for 

 Zieten's Verst. Wiirt. 



In the citations of comparable species references cannot be given 

 in full, but a bibliography is for the future : meanwhile, memoirs 



I C.D.S., obituary notice, Geo). Mag. (3) X, p. 144, 1893. 

 2 Genesis Acietidae ; Smithsonian Contrib. Knowl. 673, 1889, p. 170. 



