Reviews — The Palceontographical Society. 
225 
British area ; but it may be said to be rendered a certainty by the 
study of tbe Devonian deposits of the continent of Europe ; or, still 
more, by tbe iuvestigation of tbe vast, for the most part uninter- 
rupted and continuous series of Sediments which commenced to be 
laid down in North America at the beginning of the Upper Silurian, 
and did not cease tili, at any rate, the close of the Carboniferous.” 
This from one who has laboured so extensively as Prof. Nicholson 
has done, both as a geologist and palaeontologist, amongst the rocks 
of that age in North America, is gratifying Support to the Devonian 
advocates amongst ourselves. 
Want of space quite prevents us following Prof. Nicholson step 
by step through bis very interesting and instructive book, much as 
we are tempted to do so. We need only add that the same care 
and attention to detail is evinced in dealing with the Secondary and 
Tertiary formations as is shown in the earlier parts of the work. 
The concluding chapter is on “ The Succession of Life upon the 
Globe,” in which are summarized some of the principal results 
which may be deduced as to the succession of life upon the earth 
from the facts which have been passed in review in the preceding 
portion of the work. 
Without coinciding with Prof. Alleyne Nicholson in all the views 
expressed in bis latest work, yet we still feel ourselves autliorized in 
considering the “ Ancient Life-History of the Earth” as a desirable 
addition to every student’s library, and as a work which will 
probably have a tendency to increase the study of Palaeontology 
amongst us in no small degree. In the event of the book reaching 
a second edition, which we have no doubt it will, we would strongly 
advocate the insertion of a “generalized section” of the Scottish 
Carboniferous rocks for comparison with those of England, the 
very marked differences of deposition evinced by the Carboniferous 
series in North and South Britain being a point of considerable 
interest» Another point, and we have done. How much would the 
value of a work like the present be increased by the introduction of 
a few generic descriptions — descriptions of genera typical of each 
period into which the book is divided — terse, but to the point? We 
feel sure that an enlargement to this extent would repay the author 
for his trouble as much as it would afford instruction and pleasure 
to the reader. The book is printed in an exceedingly clear type, 
the illustrations are good, very numerous, and, so far as we are 
able to judge, accurate, and the whole work does the publishers 
much credit. 
II. — Works of the Pai^eontographical Society. 
1. — Moxographs of British Fossils. Published by the Palseonto- 
graphical Society. Yol. XXVII. (for 1873). 4to. (London, 
1874.) 
r]IHE continued enthusiasm and industry of veteran palasonto- 
_L logists, who have done much for the elucidation of British 
fossils in the earlier volumes of tliese Monographs, again oder 
rieh Stores to hoth systematic and amateur naturalists. 
DEC ADE U. YOL. IV. — NO. V. 
15 
