356 
Analyses of Books. 
[June, 
On the Geology of Florida. By Eugene A. Smith, of the 
University of Alabama. (Reprinted from the “ American 
Journal of Science.”) 
From this interesting memoir vve extract the author’s chief con- 
clusions : — Until the end of the Eocene period this region was 
still submerged. During the Middle and Upper Tertiary epochs 
the peninsula was much broader than at present, the coast-line 
extending from ioo to 150 miles farther to the westward. After 
the Miocene period there was again an elevation of Florida, fol- 
lowed, during the Champlain period, by submergence. Afterwards 
came a re-elevation, which brought up the peninsula with ap- 
proximately its present configuration. 
Proceedings of the Bristol Naturalists' Society. New Series, 
Vol. III., Part 1. 1879. Bristol: Kerslake and Co. 
We are always exceedingly happy to find our provincial scientific 
societies active and prosperous : the Bristol Naturalists’ Society 
may be congratulated on its position in both rcspedls. It is doing 
a fair amount of work, and its financial position is satisfactory. 
The principal memoirs in the number before us are — “ Some new 
Optical Illusions,” by Prof. Sylvanus P. Thompson ; “ Under- 
ground Temperature,” by E. Wethered; the “Structure and 
Life-History of a Sponge,” by W. G. Sollas (a very suggestive 
paper) ; Cases of Prolification in Cyclamen Persicum ,” by Adolph 
Leipner ; the “Ethnology of the Hindoo Koosh,” by Dr. J. 
Beddoe ; a “ Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of the Bristol Dis- 
trict,” by A. E. Hudd ; the “ Fungi of the Bristol District,” by 
C. Bucknall; and the “ Pomarine Skua,” by H. Chartonnier. 
Owing to the dismal character of the season (1879) the excur- 
sions of the geological and entomological sections proved 
failures. The botanical section was also much checked in its 
field-work. It is, however, making good progress with a most 
important task — the preparation of a Flora of the Bristol Coal- 
fields. 
It may perhaps seem captious if we, after all, declare that we 
are not quite content with the Society. A total of 169 members 
is scarcely all that can be desired in so populous, wealthy, and 
intelligent a city ! We must hope that the future will bring im- 
provement in this respecft. We must congratulate the Society 
in being free from that disturbing element, a literary section. 
