Abstract
THIS is one of a very useful series of volumes which is appearing under the editorship of Dr. Friedrich Ratzel, with the title of “Library of Geographical Handbooks.” As the subjects of glaciers and of volcanoes and earthquakes have had special volumes of the series devoted to their discussion, while many other problems of geological interest are treated of in separate monographs, such as those which deal with the geography of the ocean, and the morphology of the earth's surface, Dr. von Fritsch has been able to limit the scope of the work now before us to certain definite lines of inquiry. The first division of the book is devoted to “Geophysiography,” or a discussion of the features of the earth as a member of the solar system, and of the relations of the atmosphere and ocean to the litho-sphere or solid crust of the globe. The second division, “Geotektonik,” deals with the forms and relations of the rock-masses that build up the solid crust, and is treated with considerable fullness, the illustrations being for the most part new, and not of the kind which find a place in the ordinary text-books of geology. In the third part, “Geochemistry,” or chemical geology, we have a short sketch of the present state of petrography, or the description of rocks, followed by remarks on petrogeny, or the theory of their origin. It would be unfair to expect, in the 175 pages at the author's disposal, anything like a complete treatment of the numerous and difficult problems presented by petrological science at the present day, but it is certainly possible to conceive of a bolder and more masterly treatment of the whole question than is found in the present work. “Geomechanik,” or physical geology, treats of the questions usually grouped by English writers under the head of dynamical geology; and the fifth and concluding portion of the work is devoted to “Geogenie,” or a general sketch of historical geology. The work is of interest to English students and teachers of geological science, as illustrating the general methods of treatment of the subject which prevail in Germany. Without aiming at the comprehensive character which belongs to the well-known treatises of Credner and Giimbel, this book forms an admirable sketch of the chief facts, and theories of geological science, which are presented always in an attractive and sometimes in a somewhat novel manner.
Allgemeine Geologie.
Von Dr. Karl von Fritsch, Professor an der Universität in Halle, (Stuttgart: J. Engelhorn, 1888.)
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Our Book Shelf . Nature 38, 387 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/038387a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/038387a0