Geological Glossary. By the late Dr. T. Oldham. Edited by
R. D. Oldham. (Stanford.)—A neat, condensed, and useful book for students using such geological text-books as have not the now rather common and quite desirable addition of an appendix, explaining the nomenclature, terminology, and special phrases of the science. But it is a pity that the book before us, if published at all, had not been subjected to a severer critical scrutiny by the editor. There is a certain vagueness, very misleading to a beginner, in the definition of many terms. For example, anhydrous minerals (p. 3) are not only those which do not contain water of crystallisation. Again, we are told (p. 11) that sulphated chalybeate waters hold sulphide of iron in solution : this is indeed a chemical discovery of perfect novelty. The definition of coprolites (p. 13) makes no reference to the presence of phosphates, and is altogether imperfect. Other conspicuous instances of inadequate or erroneous explanations of geological terms are furnished under " Density," " Fumarole," "Granite," and "Nugget."
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