Geology. 477 



In order to examine the arguments therein set forth even in the 

 most imperfect manner, would require a greater amount of space 

 than is possible to devote to a brief review of this kind. I can 

 therefore mention only a few of the more important objections 

 which can be urged against this hypothesis. They are as fol- 

 lows : (1) If the absence of lamination in clays is proof of their 

 eolian origin, then we must suppose that all of the unlaminated 

 clays of the Jurassic, Dakota, Laramie, Puerco, Wasatcli, Wind 

 River, Bridger and Uinta, have been deposited in the same way ; 

 but there is abundant and incontestable proof that many such 

 beds, at least, were laid down in water ; otherwise how can we 

 explain the presence of aquatic invertebrates? (2) sticky, plastic 

 clay, of which much of the White River deposit consists, is not 

 easily moved by the agency of the winds; (3) all the phenomena 

 of deposition of these sediments can be more easily and fully 

 explained by delta action, with its ever present flood plain accom- 

 paniments, and has, moreover, the advantage of much greater 

 probability and plausability ; (4) it is extremely doubtful if any 

 flood plain deposits are now being made, except in the vicinity 

 of the mouths of rivers where they empty into an ocean, sea or 

 lake; (5) our knowledge of the habits of the extinct mammalia 

 is yet too imperfect and lacking in exactness to afford in itself 

 a very secure foundation upon which to build profound geological 

 theories ; (6) the oligocene deposits of the Laramie Basin, pre- 

 senting the same lithological characteristics and containing the 

 same mammalian fauna as those of the Plains, are surrounded 

 by well-defined mountain barriers ; they contain abundant remains 

 of fishes in the clays, as well as other very convincing evidence 

 of their lacustrine origin. Much other evidence could be cited, 

 but lack of space forbids. 



The paleontological part of the work is well presented and 

 contains many discoveries of importance. Among these may be 

 mentioned the additional characters of the curious sciuro-morph 

 rodent Mylagaulits, the skull and jaws of an extinct marten, an 

 extinct mole, the first ever found in the American Tertiaries. 

 A new and plausible explanation of the probable uses of the 

 enlarged canines of the saber tooth tigers is also given. Some 

 large giraffe-like camels are described and much additional 

 detailed information of many groups presented. The announce- 

 ment that Primates are absent in the American Oligocene had 

 been made by the reviewer nearly two years previously. J. l. w. 



11. Pleistocene Geology of portions of Nassau County and 

 Borough of Queens ; by Jay Backus Wood worth. N. Y. State 

 Museum, Bull. 48, pp. 6*18-666, 9 figs., 9 pi. 



