The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-10
LY-ELL'S GEOLOGY.
A Revised EdttiOH-Nsw DIscOverIsS and
CORclualOha.


The tenth edition of Sir Charles Lyell's "Prin-
ciples of Geology" entirely revised, is Just pub
li-hed in London The ninth edition of this
work was published thirteen years ago. In the
interval Lyell has made some new discoveries
and arrived at new conclusions, all of which
are now set forth in such detail as 10 make the
Principles" essentially new work. We quote
the London Spectators analy sis:-
'1t will be remembered that in the ninth and
previous editions the subject of the progressive
development of the organic life had been pre-
sented TO the reader, and that on this, as well
as on the causes and proofs of the Viclssitudes
of climate in epochs anterior to history, there
was good deal of careful and elaborate dis
cusson. 1t may be we'll to state at once that
chapters tx. to xiii. OF the tenth edition, in which
these subjects are treated of are either re-
written or entirely new, Considerable add.
tions have also been made (chapter XXyl vol
i'll to the discussion ON the structure of Mount
Etna, aud several descriptions of recent earth.
quakes, and new facts illustrative OF volcanic
agency have been introduced.
But it is the third book, or the changes Of
the organic world now in progress, including
the subject Of species, iransmutation, orgiu,
Distribution, mler atol and extinction, that
most will be found that Is entirely neW both in
matter and method, Such being generally the
distribution of the new matter presented to US
in this edition, there are also a few scattered
remarks in the least altered portions of the
book which are OF an interest that will claim
Tor them special notice.
'WIth regard 10 the theory of progressive
development treated OF in the ninth chapter, it
may be useful 10 ske ch the present line of
argument. Recent discoveries having led to
the tracing back OF tue memorials of our race
one step further in, the past, 1t is the OBJECT of
the author 10 snow that the evidence in favor of
| the modern date OF tue human era, as compared
with that OF a vast series OF antecedent epochs,
| each of them characterized by distinct species
| of animals and plants has not been shaken.
And one nam element of the argument appears
| TO be the similarity of the conclusions which
are arrived at by the separate study OF ) fossil
plants, ~ fossil animals, vertebrate aud inVer
| tcbrate ~ mammalia, aud by the comparison
OF them all. The result OF the Induction is thus
stated
"'We have been Gahly led by a paeontolo-
gical researches to the conclusion that the
inVerteOrate animals flourlshed before the
vertebrate, and that in the latter class 6sh,
reptiles, birds, and mammala made heir
appearance in chronological order analogous
to that in which they would be ARRANGED
zoologically according 70 an advancing scale of
the mammaa themselves, they have been
divided by Professor Owen into tour sub
classes by reference 10 notifications of their
brain. In the two lowest called Lyencephala
aud LIssenceDhala, are included maEsupials
and insectvOra aud these have been
met with fossil in the secondary
rocks. Next above them in grade
are the GyTencepha,a in which Cetaceans
PrObosCidaus. Rumiuants, Carnivora, and
Quadrumaua are classed, ali of which are found
fossil in tertiary strata. Among these the
Quadrumana rank highest, and the Anthropo-
morpheus family takes the lead in organization
| and instinct among the Quadrumana, coming
| also last in the order OF time To crown the
| Whole, the series ends with the fourth great
suo-class, the Archeocephala, of which man is
Tue sole representative, and Of which the fossil