1262 Recent Literature. | [December, 
The geology of the Yellowstone Park is by Mr. W. H. Holmes, 
who describes the structure of the Yellowstone valley and its 
tributaries as well as the mountain ranges; of these the two most 
important, the Yellowstone and Washburn ranges, are com 
of volcanic conglomerates, the larger part of the park being un- 
derlaid by. rhyolite. The greater part of the volume, which relates 
to thermal springs and geysers, is treated in a broad and compre- 
hensive way by Dr. C. A. Peale, and is an important contribution 
to this attractive subject. After describing the springs and gey- 
sers of the park, he discusses thermal springs and geysers in 
general, including those of Iceland, New Zealand, those of other 
parts of the United States, those of Mexico, Central America, the 
West Indies and South America, as well as those of Europe, the 
Azores, Africa, Indian ocean, Asia Minor and Asia, with those of 
Japan, Formosa, Malaysia, Australasia and Polynesia. Thermo- 
hydrology is then discussed under the heads of thermal springs, 
the chemistry of thermal waters (by C. A. Peale and Henry 
mann), their formations and deposits, and the chemistry af de 
posits (also by Peale and Leffmann); this part closing ec 
account of geysers and theories of geysers, followed by a tu 
bibliography of the subject, Dr. Peale describes and tabulates 
over two thousand springs and seventy-one geysers. me 
1 scientific 
with a geographical account of the park, richly illustrated a : 
maps by Mr. Henry Gannett, and the report of this distingui 
geographer is a model of conciseness and critical accuracy ag 
entire report does great credit to the conduct of this sory d 
vey and to the energy and foresightedness of the disting 
director. : 
Brooks’ Law or ,Herepity.—This work is an elabo the 
tempt at a solution of the difficult problem of hen the- 
author's theory being in a degree based upon Darwin's nyp? 
sis of pangenesis. és out- 
The plan of the book is as follows: After giving coe ps ex- 
line of the chief hypotheses which have been publishe 
planation of heredity, with reasons for rejecting them, 
presents briefly, in outline, a statement of his ow 
then attempts to show that this theory furnishes 2” shel 
theory of natural selection, that there is no æ 771077 n explana- 
rejecting this theory of heredity, and that it furnishes oy 5 cannot 
tion of many well-known facts which the author claims 
without it be seen in their true relations. Finally 
d the Origin gn 
1 The Law of Heredity. A study of the cause of Variation mae ins Universi: 
ing Organisms. By W. K. Brooks, associate in Biology, Johns 1 okie 
Baltimore, John Murphy & Co. 1883. 12mo, pp. 330. With illustrat 
borate at- 
the author — 
a basis for the 
Gi 3 
the author at 
