524 Revieivs — Dr. R. F. Scharff — European Fauna. 



by the fact that on the rising ground south of Uttoxeter, opposite 

 to the great bend in the Dove Valley, where the river swerves from 

 a southerly to an easterly course, the pebbly loam is suddenly 

 replaced by a true till in which large subangular striated boulders 

 of Carboniferous Limestone, toadstone, and other rocks are abundant, 

 'i'his material evidently indicates the path taken by the stream of 

 ice which has descended the valley of the Dove ; and Mr. Lamplugh 

 urges that its local development in relation to the more prevalent 

 type of pebbly drift tells strongly in favour of the land-ice as opposed 

 to the marine theory of the origin of these drifts. 



Lii-ts of memoirs and maps published and in hand are given at 

 the end of this report, and it is accompanied by small index maps 

 showing the state of progress of the surveys in different parts of the 

 United Kingdom. 



III. — The History of the European Fauna. By R. F. Scharff, 

 B.Sc, Ph.D., F.Z.S. 8vo; pp. i-viii, 364, with 21 illustrations. 

 (London : Walter Scott, 1899. Price 6s.) 



rpHE present volume is the outcome of a memoir read by the 

 X author before the Royal Irish Academy, and originally published 

 in their Proceedings for 1897. Of this communication we gave 

 a lengthened notice in the Geological Magazine, 1897, Dec. IV, 

 Vol. IV, pp. 420, 468. ' 



Dr. Scharff is a naturalist in the true sense of the word, and 

 gathers his illustrations of geographical distribution from plants and 

 insects, Crustacea and moliusca, as well as from birds and mammals. 

 Nor are the facts and observations furnished by the geologist bearing 

 upon the interesting problems of which he treats neglected by the 

 author. In his Preface he says: "Our knowledge of the present 

 and past fauna of Europe is as yet insufficient to indicate with 

 pi'ecision the original homes of its component elements, but I hope 

 that the lines of research laid down here, and the method of treat- 

 ment adopted, will aid zoologists and geologists in collecting 

 materials for a more comprehensive study of the history of our 

 animals. I trust also that a fresh impulse will be given by the 

 publication of this book to the study of the geographical distribution 

 of species. Collectors of beetles, butterflies, shells, and fossils may 

 derive some useful hints by its perusal, and thus direct their studies 

 so as to add, by accuracy in observation, to our knowledge of the 

 former geographical revolutions which have moulded our islands 

 and continents. To geographers, a survey of some of the more 

 important changes in the distribution of land and water in past 

 times, based upon the composition of our fauna, will be interesting. 

 The subject, however, is a complex one. I have ventured to 

 indicate a suitable method of treatment, and as such this attempt 

 to elucidate the history of the European fauna should be received." 



(p. V.) 



" Every student of natural history," writes Dr. Scharff (p. 1), 

 "whether he be intei'ested in birds, butterflips, or shells, contiibutes 

 his share of facts which help to show how the fauna of his country 



