iS79-J 
Notices of Books. 
ng 
find it mentioned in brief that Mr. Scudder has made an inspec- 
tion of the insectiferous shales of the Tertiary basin of Floris- 
sant, which he estimates to be at least fifty times as extensive as 
those of CEningen, in Southern Bavaria. From six to seven 
thousand specimens of fossil insects, besides some thousand 
plants, have been already received from this new locality, and as 
many more will be secured before the end of the season. It is 
not too much to hope that these treasures may throw some fresh 
light on the development of entomological forms, and on the 
successive appearance in point of time of the different insect 
orders and families. 
In the botanical department, also, much may be expected. 
Two of the greatest authorities in this science — Sir Joseph D. 
Hooker, P.R.S., Director of the Kew Botanical Gardens, and 
Prof. Asa Gray — took an active part in the Survey, and made a 
careful investigation into the flora of the Rocky Mountains and 
the Sierra Nevada. 
Ethnologists may also look forward with interest to the forth- 
coming account of a “ forgotten people,” who once occupied the 
country about the head waters of the San Juan. 
Geological Survey of Victoria. Prodromus of the Palaeontology 
of Victoria/ Decade V. By Frederick McCoy. Mel- 
bourne : Ferres. London : Tri'ibner and Co. 
This work consists of figures and descriptions of organic re- 
mains found in the colony of Victoria. No systematic arrange- 
ment appears to be followed, animals of various classes and 
plants succeeding each other promiscuously. The illustrations 
are well drawn, and the descriptions are full. 
The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archceological Associ- 
ation of Ireland. Fourth Series, Vol. iv., Nos. 33 and 34, 
January and April, 1878. Dublin : printed for the Asso- 
ciation. 
This issue contains a history of the kingdom of Ossory, with a 
list of its sovereigns. There is here nothing of scientific inte- 
rest, if we except the suggestion that during the later geological 
periods the central portion of the county of Kilkenny was the 
basin of a large lake. The death of a king is mentioned as 
having taken place “ A.M. 3817.” We had hoped that chronolo- 
