1882.J 
367 
Analyses of Books . 
failures or the results—as in the plains of Upper India — are still 
indecisive. The writer very justly considers that Government 
olight to undertake the settlement of so momentous a question. 
It is a sad fact that much of the water consumed in India, by 
Europeans as well as natives, would in this country be con- 
demned as unsafe. 
Mr. P. N. Bose, B.Sc., F.G.S., discussing the fossil hyaenas of 
the Siwalik, upholds the specific distinctness of H. Sivalensis 
and H. felina. He maintains that the measurements of the upper 
true molar in the “third skull” (Indian museum, No. 47), as 
given by Mr. Lydekker, are incorrect. Instead of 0*4x0*23 inch 
the dimensions should be o , 6xo , 25. In H. felina the maximum 
transverse length is only 0*225, an d antero-posterior length 
0*08. Hence the “ third skull ” does not agree in this point with 
H. felina. The latter species makes distindt approaches to the 
feline character, and the skull, though essentially hysenoid, can- 
not be brought under any known species of hyaena. 
Mr. Lydekker had objected to the separation of Machairodon 
Palceindicus from M. Sivalensis. M. Bose replies that the dif- 
ference in the structure of the lower jaw is considerable, M. 
Palceindicus departing in this respedt from all other known spe- 
cies of the genus, M. Sivalensis included. 
Vol. XIV., Part 4. 1881. 
This issue contains important suggestions by Mr. H. B. Medli- 
cott, on the Unification of Geological Nomenclature and Carto- 
graphy. His remarks, which have been embodied in a note sent 
to the International Geological Congress of Bologna, relate to a 
very difficult question. The author points out that any attempt 
at a rigorous definition of signs, — whether nomenclature or the 
colouration of maps, — as intended for universal adoption, will be 
of doubtful expediency. As an instance he gives the Gondwana 
system of India : its base is of Permian age, and its top beds 
Upper Jurassic, being the homologue, though not the equivalent, 
of the secondary series of European geology. Yet it is a 
“ system,” and even a “ formation,” in the restricted sense pro- 
posed for these terms, in which no clear division over the whole 
area can be traced. In order to represent upon maps divisions 
within a system, he proposes a system of fine black lines, the 
direction of which is significant. A horizontal (or east — west) 
line is used for the lowest, and a vertical (north — south) for the 
highest. Four intermediately inclined lines stand for the inter- 
vening divisions. Thus six clear divisions are produced within 
each shade of colour, and if we take three shades for each colour 
we get 18 divisions for one colour. Continuous lines may be 
used for the primary divisions, and broken lines for the 
secondary. 
