Review of Recent Geological Literature. 389 
Mr. Hovey considers that the loss of life at Martinique was mainly 
due to a cloud of hot steam carrying sulphur gases (SO2 and H2S) and 
charged with angular particles of ash aind dust which rolled over and 
enveloped St. Pierre with hurricane velocity prevailing for several 
minutes on the morning of May 8 last. Other causes of death were, 
(i) blows from falling stones which had been hurled out from the 
volcatio, (2) crushing beneath falling walls and various objects (one 
man was found with his back broken by a sign which had fallen from 
over a store front), (3) burns due to hot stones and dust, (4) burns 
caused by steam alone, and (5) by steam mingled with dust, (6) cre- 
mation in burning buildings, (7) nervous shock, (8) suffocation from 
lack of respirablc air, and, perhaps, (q) lightning. "No autopsy 
was made on any of the thousands of victims of the disaster on 
Martinique although men capable of performing such operations had 
the opportunity of making them within a very few hours after the 
eruption ; hence there is no sure way of determining whether poison- 
ous gases other than those mentioned played any part ia the destruc- 
tion of life." A similar statement is made by Mr. Hovey r'especting 
St. Vincent. 
The examination made by Dr. Hovey does not warrant, in his 
judgment, the idea that any new or strange forces or gases need to 
be called in to account for the phenomena attending the eruption of 
Mt. Pelee, or the destruction of St. Pierre and its people. He also 
discredits the idea of independent mud volcanoes situated at the 
heads of the gorges that radiate from Pelee. The mud flows that 
descended these gorges are secondary products of the eruption. Heavy 
rains accompanied and followed the eruption. These waters, enter- 
ing the hot cinders, and the streams being dammed by the ashes that 
had enveloped the country, furnished steam sufficient to throw off 
the surface layer that enveloped them, and allow the flow of large 
volumes of mud and hot muddy water. The volcanoes of Mt. Pelee 
and Soufriere of St. Vincent showed a sympathetic action, and this 
was more manifest in the later eruptions of September. 
It is evident that the American Museum of Natural History, 
through the wise initiation of president Morris K. Jessup, is to con- 
tinue this investigation and terminate it by the publication of a final 
complete report, which, if this prelimiviary report is an earnest of what 
may be expected, is likely to be thorough and satisfactory. — N. h. w. 
Syllabus of a course of lectures in elementary geology, John C. 
Branner. pp. 369. Second edition. Stanford University. 1902. 
Price $2.75, postpaid. 
The science of geology is here systematized and classified, and its 
data and literature by references and foot-notes arc brought into 
reach of any student. The fundamental conceptions arc illustrated by 
many fine engravings, mostly new, and the discussions consi.st almost 
wholly in a grouping of the secondary and subordinate branches in 
paragraphed sections and subsections. Throughout the volume are 
numerous blank pages designed for additional notes and references. 
