Geology and Mineralogy. 223 



10. Fossilium Catulogus, I : Animalia, Pars 8, Cephalopoda 

 triadica ; by C. Diener. Pp. 369, 1915. Published by W. Junk, 

 Berlin W. 15, price M. 34.60. We note that J. P. Smith's "Mid- 

 dle Triassic marine invertebrate faunas of North America," Pro- 

 fessional Paper 83, U. S. Geological Survey, 1914, is not con- 

 sidered in this catalogue. c. s. 



11. Catalogue of the Meteorites of North America to January 

 1, 1909 ; by O. C. Farrington. Memoirs of the National 

 Academy of Sciences, volume XIII ; pp. 513, 36 plates. Wash- 

 ington, 1915. — Dr. Farrington has carried through a very 

 important work for the study of meteorites in compiling an ex- 

 haustive catalogue of the known falls in North America. This 

 volume has been made possible through a grant from the J. 

 Lawrence Smith Fund of the National Academy of Sciences, and 

 forms a fitting memorial to the early labors of Dr. Smith in this 

 field. From the time of Chladni (1803), various catalogues 

 of meteorites have been issued, that of Wulfing (1897) being the 

 most complete. Unfortunately a still more exhaustive account of 

 all known meteorites (upwards of 600) which was undertaken by 

 Cohen, was interrupted by his death and only one volume com- 

 pleted. 



The total number of North American meteorites, recognized 

 as authentic to the end of 1908, is 247. Of these, 161 are irons, 

 3 of which were seen to fall ; 10 are siderolites, and 76 are stones. 

 These falls are taken up in alphabetical order, and the informa- 

 tion that has been published in regard to them given with a high 

 degree of completeness ; in many cases the original accounts 

 being published in full. The description of each fall is followed 

 by a concise bibliography. Among the numerous points dis- 

 cussed by the author that of the distribution is perhaps the most 

 important. A series of plates gives a graphic representation of 

 the falls in the different states and countries. Numerous interest- 

 ing points come out which do not, however, all have a like signi- 

 ficance. Thus, the Southern Appalachians is a region in which 

 the falls of meteorites have been remarkably frequent ; a circle 

 with a radius of 300 miles, and center at Mt. Mitchell, N. C, in- 

 cluding nearly one-half of those known in North America. On 

 the other hand the state of Illinois can boast of no fall at all, 

 while Iowa enjoyed the distinction of the three greatest meteorite 

 showers, two of them within 65 miles of each other, and a third 

 130 miles distant ; these are Homestead (1875), Estherville (1879) 

 and Forest City (1890). Other even more notable showers — but 

 not located in time — were those of the iron meteorites at Canyon 

 Diablo and Toluca, in Mexico. Numerous other interesting- 

 points are brought out by Dr. Farrington and, indeed, the study 

 of this important subject is certainly much furthered by this 

 thorough and exhaustive volume. 



12. Gems and Precious Stones in 191Jf. ; by Douglas B. 

 Sterrett. Min. Resources U. S., 1914, Part II, pp. 307-346. — 

 A time of business depression always brings a diminution in the 



