Correspondence — Mr. G. II . Kmalian. 93 



plained by Mr. Forbes in a recent number of the Popular Science 

 Eeview, and previously by Professor Jukes in his Manual. The re- 

 viewer in the Quarterly Journal of Science, by the context, would 

 seem to be quite aware of the proper difference between Lithology 

 and Petrology, my only excuse, therefore, for occupying any of your 

 space is the vague way he expresses himself, which undoubtedly must 

 mislead all young geologists. G.- H. Kijs:ahan. 



Geological Survey of Ireland, 

 Eecess, Connemara. 



THE FETISH WORSHIP OP FOSSILS. 



Sir, — The subject-matter of my letter, as indicated by the above 

 heading, has upon various occasions pressed itself on my notice dur- 

 ing my visits to collections belonging to private individuals, but 

 more especially to soi-disant scientific persons, in various parts of 

 England ; and I think that a ventilation of it may do good by calling 

 attention to a reform which is much needed. 



First of all, I will describe what I have seen in some of the 

 " Arcanas of Science." Imagine a series of glass-cases and drawers 

 crammed with specimens augmented in number in a duplicate ratio, 

 guiltless of labels, piled one on another, " in confusion worse con- 

 founded," suggestive alike of the interior of a marine store, and of 

 an attempt to give a practical illustration of the probable scheme of 

 Creation according to the Mosaic account. These collections belong 

 to Fossilists whose ignorance of Palaeontology reminds one of the 

 Naturalists of the old school, whom the late E. Forbes used to de- 

 scribe as examining animals as though they were merely skins filled 

 with straw, and whose scientific acumen displays itself in estimating 

 the worth of a specimen by its uniqueness. The " minatus amor 

 natendi" is strong in the minds of these worthies, and to part with 

 any of their duplicates would be in their opinion to run the risk of 

 losing a future chance of immortalizing themselves as the fortunate 

 possessors of some new and unique species. 



It is probable that I m-ay have cast upon me the dregs of the 

 " odium theologicum" which was -poured out from the " phials of 

 wrath" with such remarkable success during the late election; but 

 if I can procure for some neglected pre- Adamite relic "a local habita- 

 tion and a name" in some county museum, which would otherwise 

 be fated in all probability to point a moral and adorn a grotto in a 

 country village, I shall consider myself amply recompensed. 



Example being better than precept, let me refer to the munificent 

 gift of fossils lately made to the Norwich Museum by one of your 

 reverend contributors. Philo-taxts. 



E(EOTLi Trans-Avoniensis, January, 1869. 



OEITTJ.A.E,-^'. 



Geokge Victor Du Noter. — On the third day of January, at 

 Antrim, where he was engaged superintending the Geological Survey 

 of the North of Ireland, died George Victor Du Noyer, M.E.I.A., 



