1 878..! 
Notices of Books. 
411 
T ransactions of the Edinburgh Geological Society. Vol. iii., 
Part 1. Edinburgh. Printed for the Society. 1877. 
This issue contains a large amount of interesting and valuable 
matter. There is an Inaugural Address on the “ Palaeontolo- 
gical Signification of the Migrations of Animals,” delivered by 
Prof. H. A. Nicholson. The speaker treats almost exclusively 
of Marine Invertebrata, and the following are some of his 
general conclusions: — Oceanic currents have a great in- 
fluence on the distribution of marine animals, adting not only 
upon pelagic species, but also upon the locomotive young of 
littoral species. Under any circumstances there is a probability 
that pelagic species will have a wider range than those of littoral 
habits. Littoral species are generally limited in their distribution 
by the depth of water near land, by the trend of the land itself, 
and by the extension of the shore. A species requiring a defi- 
nite high or low temperature for its existence will spread much 
farther along a shore running east and west than it can along 
one having a north and south direction. The conditions which 
limit the range of littoral species are not stable and permanent, 
but vary much at different periods in consequence of subsidence 
or elevation of the land. The distribution of pelagic species is 
mainly influenced by the surface temperature of the water, but 
it may be temporarily or permanently affedted by winds or cur- 
rents. Deep-sea forms are usually widely diffused, their range 
depending chiefly on temperature, and being especially influenced 
by oceanic currents. Fresh-water Invertebrates are, in the main, 
governed in their migrations by the same laws as those which 
influence marine forms. Some marine Invertebrates are probably 
capable of adapting themselves to a gradual change of the sea 
in which they live to fresh water. 
In a paper by Mr. R. Richardson, on “ Phenomena of Weather- 
Adtion and Glaciation,” we find some interesting observations 
on that process of erosion which certain so-called sceptics in 
geology are endeavouring to deny. But the man who can shut 
his eyes to the phenomena which on a larger or smaller scale 
are to be witnessed in every mountain-chain will certainly not 
be convinced by any human testimony. That the glaciation of 
Switzerland has decreased, and is still decreasing, the author 
finds abundant proof. 
Dr. D. Flahn, in a humorous paper, advocates the introduction 
of a dual nomenclature in mineralogy, similar to that established 
in zoology and botany. We regret to notice that certain German 
names of minerals mentioned are greatly obscured by typo- 
graphical errors. Dr. Hahn also communicates a paper on the 
“ Phosphorescence of Minerals.” 
Mr. A. Somervail’s communication, “ On the Glacial Pheno- 
mena of Scotland, with especial reference to the recent works of 
