I 74 
Analyses of Books. 
[March, 
Palceozoic Rocks of Galway , and elsewhere in Ireland , said to be 
Laurentian. By G. H. Kinahan, M.R.I.A., &c. (From the 
Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society.) 
For some years a difference of opinion has existed as to the age 
of certain palaeozoic rocks in Donegal, Tyrone, Mayo, Wexford, 
and in other parts of Ireland. Jukes and King refer some of the 
rocks in question — among others those of the celebrated “Twelve 
Pins of Connemara — to the Laurentian Age. T. Sterry Hunt, 
twenty years ago, admitted that some of the Donegal rocks seem 
lithologically identical with the Laurentians of America, but that 
other rocks from the self-same area “ cannot be distinguished 
from altered palaeozoic strata in America more recent than the 
Laurentians.” 
The author now took up this question, and enumerated various 
palaeozoic rocks in Ireland approaching the Laurentians in their 
lithological characters, but being otherwise similar to the more 
recent Huronian strata of America. In the memoir before us 
he shows the deficiency of proof as to the alleged Laurentian 
Age of the Irish rocks in question. If the strata in question are 
Laurentian, many others, admitted on good evidence to be of 
Cambrian, must be relegated to the same group. Not without 
reason he accuses the Laurentianists of laying too great weight 
upon lithological characters, and too little upon stratigraphical 
evidence. 
As far as can be learnt from the memoir before us, and of the 
accompanying plates of sections of the Twelve Pins and of the 
Corcogemore Hills, we must consider Mr. Kinahan perfectly 
justified in the position which he assumes, namely, without 
asserting that there are no Laurentian rocks in Donegal, he 
maintains that conclusive proofs of their existence are still 
wanting. 
Longman's Magazine , No. IV., February, 1883. 
This number contains two articles on scientific subjects. Mr. 
Grant Allen discourses on a “ mountain tulip ” ( Lloydia sero- 
tina ), and draws lessons from its peculiar distribution. These 
lessons, however, would make no impression upon a votary of 
the Old Natural History, who should maintain that the flower 
had been specially created in all the situations for which it is 
adapted. We heartily agree with him in his regret at the extir- 
pation — approaching or already effected — of not a few of our 
rarer plants. This catastrophe is due perhaps more to dealers 
