Review of Recent Geological Literature. 331 
agreement with the educational character of the work, Mr. Simpson 
takes a decided stand against ''giving too much weight to microscopical 
characters, which not one student in ten can detect, to the neglect of 
more obvious characters, which can be observed by any student of 
ordinary scientific penetration." This refers especially to such micro- 
soo{)ical characters as, for instance, have been found in the structure 
of the cell walls, and which not only needs the trained eye of the inicro- 
acopist to bo detected, but which also must have been changed by the 
process of fossilization. A rather regretable result of the author's re- 
gard for the defects of the students is the omission of a chapter on the 
fossilization and methods of study of these forms, which, on account of 
Mr. Simpson's great experience in investigating these mostly minute 
fo.ssils. would have brought out much valuable information. 
A bibliography of the fossil bryozoa s of North America and an enum- 
eration of the genera and species of American palaeozoic bryozoans 
with references to authorship and the geologic formation in which they 
occur, are further given. 146 genera and nearly 1,100 species are 
enumerated. 
The principal part of the work, the description of the families and 
genera, is accompanied by numerous text-illustrations and 25 plates of 
generic illustrations, which, drawn by the author himself in his well- 
known artistic and careful manner, undoubtedly constitute one of the 
most attractive and valuable features of the hand-book. The following 
new families: latraporidce, AcMuotrypidoi, Clathropo)-ida\ TlKonno- 
frypidce, Arthroclemidte, Rhomboporidte, Bactroporidoi, Chihjfrypi- 
d(e, Fiatnliporinida', Odontotrypida', Ceramoporellida' , Reptarida\ 
-and the genera: Lyroporidra, Anastomopora, Thamnocella, Sticto- 
<;ella, Stictoporina, Fistnlipnrina, Fistaliporella, Ptilorella, Fistuli- 
poridra and Fistidicella have been created. The Fistuliporidfj; are 
regarded by the author as true bryozoans, because forms of FlHtulipora 
gradually pass into other genera, undoubtedly Bryozoa, The monticu- 
liporoids are also placed with the bryozoans, though the author is con- 
vinced that further study will show that some of the forms, at least, 
must be associated with corals. As Mr. Simpson remarks in the intro- 
duction, " there is but little doubt that all the forms which are here 
■I)laced in the family Amplcxoporidce and other allied forms are not 
Bryozoa. Any form which increases by fissiparity or by coenenchymal 
gemmation, must of necessity be considered as a coral." Numerousex- 
tracts of the discussions of Nicholson, Waagen and Koch, as well as 
the last investigator's observations on the various forms of gemmation 
and fissiparity are given in order to enable the student to form his own 
opinion on the systematic position of the mouticuliporoids. 
It is much to be hoped that the accomplished peteontologists of the 
liurvey of the state of New York will continue in their fruitful endeav- 
ors for the students of palaeontology. r. r. 
Description g6ologique de Java et Madotira, par Dr. R. D. M. Ver- 
BEEK et R. Fennema, Ingenieurs en chef des mines des Indes Neerlan- 
iJaises. Two vols., royal octavo^ and a geological atlas. Amsterdam, 
