Review of Recent Geological Literature. 125 
facies of different faunas, and it may almost besaid thai no two writers 
have fully agreed as to its significance or scope. Ii Jias. moreover, not 
the prestige of priority, and, unless its usefulness can be more fully dem- 
onstrated, should gracefully yield to the more venerable term. 
J. M. Clarke. 
Eighteenth Annual Report, for 1893; Indiana, Department of Geology 
mid Natural Resources. S. S. Gorby, State Geologist. :!•"><> pages; with 
natural gas and oil map, and 12 plates of fossils. Indianapolis, 1S!)4. 
Indiana is a state where the peculiarity exists of electing the state geol- 
ogist by popular vote as the governor or mayor or county surveyor is 
elected. It is, therefore, a more or less political office, and we see in 
this a reason for the frequent changes the office lias undergone. Since 
E. T. Cox left the position in 1879, it has been filled by professors Col- 
lett, Thompson and Gorby, and the last named will, we presume, be 
superseded by some one else in the near future. This fact is in striking 
contrast with what obtains in some other states. In New York, for 
example. Prof, .lames Hall has been connected with the survey since 
1835, and after an interim of several years has been in charge of a new 
survey since 1881. In Minnesota Prof. N. H. Winched lias been the 
state geologist for the past 22 years; in Pennsylvania Prof. J. P. Lesley 
has been at the head of the survey for about 20 years; in New Jersey 
Prof. Geo. H. Cook was in charge from 1863 until his death in 1889; and 
in Alabama Prof. E. A. Smith has been in service 2] years as the state 
geologist. It cannot besaid that frequenl changes in this office are con- 
ducive to the best scientific work, for a change in the head frequently 
results in a change in the subordinates, and when this sweeping change 
occurs the new incumbents must frequently relearn much that the 
former officials were perfectly familiar with. 
In the present instance, as has occurred before in geological reports, 
the chief geologist furnishes an introduction to the volume. Here it, 
occupies 8 pages and the remaining 340 are filled by reports from the 
assistants. Mr. Chas. R. Dryer discusses the geology of Noble and La- 
grange counties and the drift of the Wabash -Erie region. W. B. Van 
Gorder gives a catalogue of the plants of Noble county. Thos. M<- 
Quade reports as inspector of mines: N. .1. Hyde reports as inspector of 
oils: E. T. .1. Jordan as supervisor of natural gas. Here cognizance is 
taken of the fact that the supply has been wantonly wasted and rec- 
ommendations are made for the conservation of the precious fuel. 
Many of the wells show a decrease in pressure and volume, many others 
are already exhausted, and thi' new ones thai are being drilled do not 
show anything like the pressure or volume of the great "gassers" so 
common at first. E. P. Cubberly discusses the structural features of 
the slate as revealed by the drill in a series of sections made in various 
directions across the state; and finally S. A. Miller supplies the paleon 
tology. 
'I'll ere was a time when the pages of i he Journal of i he Cincinnati So- 
ciety of Natural History were largely used i>\ Mr. Miller in his descrip- 
