52 The American Geologists 
Jan. 1890. 
mountains meets the ocean, the shifting sands have covered the 
rocks. There is no indication of drift on Santa Rosa island, hence 
we cannot account for the presence of the fossil elephant on the 
theory of its having been brought by floating ice, as advanced 
by some writers. It will be observed that the Anacapas San- 
ta Cruz ; Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands are on a line 
with point Dumas on the east and are parallel with the Santa 
Ynez mountains as before stated; at this point the islands 
were doubtless once connected with the main land,and what is 
now the Santa Barbara channel was then a gulf or arm of the 
sea, beginning at point Conception and running in a southeast- 
erly direction for, say 150 miles. 
When these islands were thus connected with the mainland, 
it was easy for them to become inhabited by the larger verte- 
brates. 
It is also probable that this chain of islands is a portion of 
the same outflow of lava which formed the volcanic ridges and 
peaks on the mainland east of them. 
REVIEW OF RECENT GEOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
North American Geology and Paleontology. S. A. Miller, Cincinnati. 
The author, pp. 664. Tiiis work was announced in this journal, vol. 
IV, p. 255. Its figures, illustrative of fossil species, number 1194. They 
are distributed alphabetically through the paleontological portion of 
the book. In brief the M'ork is a dictionary of North American pale- 
ozoic paleontology, giving the names of all genera and species, their 
formations, authors, dates and where published, with illustrations 
when necessary or when available. It is a work which no paleontol- 
ogist can well be without, and displays a vast amount of patient and 
careful labor. It is introduced by a brief discussion and definition 
of the laws of geology and geologic nomenclature, specially describing 
the systems and groups to which the author makes assignment of 
paleozoic fossils, and it is finished by a glossary of specific names in 
use in North American paleontology, giving their signification, and by 
an index of genera. 
Some peculiarities appear in the opening geological chapters. 1. The 
author has positive opinions and is fearless in the statement of them. 
2. The term Cambrian is not employed, but the term Silurian is made 
to cover the interval where Cambrian was placed by Sedgwick. 3. The 
term Taconic is made to embrace the most of the primordial zone, 
omitting only the Dikelocephalus horizon. 4. The Quebec group he 
considers "very doubtful." He makes the Oriskany the base of the 
