1876.] 
Notices of Books. 
125 
soils, some of which contain as much as 0*846 of nitrogen, 
whilst phosphoric acid reaches 0*185, an d potash 0*345 P er cent. 
The authors give a catalogue of rocks and minerals collected for. 
the Geological Museum, in Jermyn Street. That institution, we 
may here remark, will have to undergo a great transformation if 
ever it is to represent the economic geology of the British 
Empire. The amount of space at its disposal is ridiculously 
inadequate. 
The authors do not appear to have been well supplied with 
resources for a thorough examination of the country. Repeat- 
edly we find in their reports passages similar to the following : — 
“ We regret that our means of supporting labourers with the 
necessaries of life prevented us from carrying our examinations 
to the extent we would recommend.” We must confess that we 
like to see scientific work of any kind done thoroughly. To 
send out qualified men, and to support them so ill that they are 
compelled to leave their task half accomplished and to hurry 
over matters which require careful investigation, is a very mis- 
taken economy. 
The surveys of the territories undertaken by the Federal 
Government of the United States include an account of the 
vegetable and animal productions of every district, as well as of 
its rocks, minerals, and soils. Nothing of the kind has been 
undertaken in the survey of British Guiana, a land literally 
teeming with interesting productions. For this omission -we are 
far from blaming Messrs. Brown and Sawkins. They have evi- 
dently made good use of their time and limited facilities, and 
deserve great credit for the manner in which they have fulfilled 
their task. But we regret that a more numerous and better 
appointed expedition was not sent, whether by the Imperial 
Government or the Provincial Legislature. 
The work is illustrated with a large and valuable map of 
British Guiana, and with several sections and diagrams. 
The Annual Address of the Victoria Institute or Philosophical 
Society of Great Britain, June 7 , 1875. By Rev. R. Main, 
F.R.S., “ Radcliffe Observer.” To which is added the 
Report for the Year. London: R. Hardwicke. 
A complete review of this “ address” may be pronounced diffi- 
cult or rather impossible in any journal which does not profess 
to deal with theological questions. We must, therefore, confine 
ourselves to the notice of certain incidental passages. 
As a matter of course, we find a reference to the works of 
Mr. Darwin, which are brought forward in illustration of the 
assumed tendency of the present day to accept “a clever hypo- 
thesis, supported on some exhibition of faCts,” without the neces- 
