Review of Recent Geoloijical Literature. 385 
care and with a remarkable command of literature. There are three 
plates of <rood fij^^ires accompauNins' the paper, but it is unfortunate 
that the degree of enlargement represented by these figures is not given 
in each case, as in but a few instances is the actual size of species stated 
in the descriptions. A most unusual and striking feature of this chap- 
ter, however, speaking worlds for the authors' diligent and patient study 
of the work of other writers, is that not a single new species is described. 
Prof. Winchell follows this paper with brief remarks on the occurrence 
of other Cretaceous fossils in Minnesota. 
Chapter III, "Sponges, Graptolites and C'orals from the LoAver Silu- 
rian of Minnesota," by N. H. WiNciiKLii and C^harles Schuchekt, was 
briefly noticed in the Ameiucan Geologist (vol. xii, p. 381) at the time 
of its first api)earance in the separate form. It is accompanied b}' two 
zinc plates. The chapter opens with a compiled description of the 
genera Receptuculites and Ischadites, followed by sj'nopses of the Ameri- 
can species; and briefly discusses the imperfectly known Lepidolites, Ul- 
rich, which shows some close affinities to the latter genus. At this point 
is introduced an important contribution by Mr. Ulrich bearing upon the 
nature of the genus Anomalospojigia. As the external form of this sponge 
has not been made out, the author's observations and inferences are based 
wholly on a portion of the spicular structure. This is certain!}- most 
interesting. The dermal wall is composed of very closely set spicules 
having three horizontal arms, each of which is biaxial. The entering 
ray is enormously swollen and the continuation of its axis beyond tht; 
horizontal rays is atrophied to a node. The aspect of the spicule is that 
of a pentactin. With another horizontal ra}' it might well be compared 
to a similar appearing structure in Receptnculitts. Did the outer node, 
representing the continuation of the vertical axis, not exist, the form 
might be understood as a modification of a tetractin, but, as it is im- 
possible to set aside the node as a fortuitous or incidental occurrence, 
the spicule certainly seems to be an "anomalous" pentactin whose deri- 
vation it is difficult to understand. The author states that "the sponge 
was probably originally silicious." but it would hardly be possible that 
such a spicular form could be a derivative of the hexactin. If its rela- 
tions are with Iteceptacalites, a genus which, on some hands, is regarded 
as neither silicious nor a sponge, it may have to follow thiit in its taxo- 
nomic wanderings; one could, however, scarcely question the sponge 
nature of AnomaliMpongut, and it is to be li()])ed that more may bi.' 
learned of its external form. To the family J)irti/ofip<inf/i(f(i' is referred 
the genus llaiiffeUd, Ulrich. We believe Mr. Ulrich's previous arrange- 
ment has here been followed, but in this instance it is palpably incor- 
rect. The fossil shows no relation to the dictyosi)onges, andRautf.who 
seems to have had specimens in hand, protests, with suicidal intent, 
that it is not an organism. The German spongist also suggests that 
some of Ulrich's genera, which are referred to the pharetrones, are lith- 
istids, and he has further regarded the species Iliadin parvd Ulrich as a 
synonym for, or, at most, a variety of II. sp/iter<nd<(li.s Duncan, but the 
latter view may be ascribed to personal dissimilarities in the apprelu-n- 
