SPITIT OF GOOD BOOKS. 
315 
hard sandstone and quartzite, mica-slate, diorite, porphyry, and granite (see 
Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., vol. xvi., p. 442). 
Of the Permian strata Mr. Lamont found but little evidence (one rolled 
fossiliferous boulder), though M. Robert some years ago brought to France 
many fossils determined by M. de Koninck to be of Permian age. On the 
other hand, M. Robert's collection seems to have been very poor in Carboni- 
ferous specimens. 
We observe in the list of errata belonging to vol. xvi. of the Geological 
Society's Journal that, in the list of specimens brought by M. Lamont from 
Spitzbergen, " Ammonite (?)"• should be substituted for " Aviculopecten (?)" 
in one instance. This specimen, though doubtfully determined, appears to 
indicate the existence of strata of Secondary age in this arctic island. 
M. Laraont's interesting and instructive book is dedicated to Sir C. Lyell, 
with a warm acknowledgement of the pleasure derived from the " delightful 
'Principles of Geology' my unvarying and instructive companion during 
ten years of adventurous wonderings," — and with a modestly expressed hope 
that the author's abservatious may in some way add to the strength of the 
arguments and demonstrations of that masterly work. That they do so, we 
think can be readily shown, and Mr. Lamont has our thanks for what he has 
already done, and our best wishes for the success of his future journey ings 
among the wildernesses of nature where his love of sport may lead him. To 
his friend, the author of the ' Principles,' also, M. Lamont's work must be one 
of many agreeable evidences of the goodly harvest of facts gathered by well- 
educated amateurs in all parts of the world, that come in from time to time as 
the result of geological knowledge obtained by a careful study of the 'Princi- 
ples of Geology.' 
SPIRIT OF GOOD BOOKS. 
Private copies have been sent us of two very important papers by Mr. Evans 
and Mr. Prestwich, printed in the Transactions of the Antiquaries and of the 
Royal Societies. Mr. Prestwich' s paper was read in May, 1859, and our private 
copy from the author reached us about a month ago. To say that it had not 
lost some of its interest by the long delay would not be true ; for these valuable 
papers, instead of coming fresh in subject before the world, fall comparatively 
dead and flat upon the public ear, and' are sought for only by the learned, who 
are anxious to see what emendations the authors have made in their passage 
through the press — what additional materials they have gathered and added 
between their reading and their publication. Mr. Evans was somewhat more for- 
tunate than Mr. Prestwich, his paper being read somewhat later, and printed 
somewhat sooner. 
We do not make these remarks to detract from the value of what these 
gentlemen have done, or the real worth their papers possess at this moment, 
but it is well to observe the misfortune to the authors themselves that by the 
common and general discussing of the subject during the long interval of two 
years, their labours originally the first and the most reliable should have thus 
lost the attraction they justly merit, and should be fated to be put amongst 
the heavy quartos on the library shelves, instead of being sougLt for and read 
in the family circles and homes of the inquiring and educated classes. 
