Abstract
THIS is a most elaborate work, on one of the most puzzling groups of palæozoic fossils, by the accomplished and industrious Professor of Natural History at St. Andrews. He gives the general history and literature of the genus, describes the morphology, dealing carefully with the dimorphism of the corallum, treats of the development of the forms, and compares them with Heteropora amongst the Bryozoa. Then the affinities of Chætetes and Stenopora are considered, and those of the Helioporidæ also. A chapter is devoted to the sub-divisions of the genus and to the consideration of the propriety of separating from it Fistulipora, Coustellaria, and Dekayia. Finally five chapters are occupied by the consideration of as many sub-genera. Yet the author modestly says that it is not a monograph of the Monticuliporidæ! The book is particularly valuable on account of the mass of careful description it contains, and the plates and cuts are excellent, and everybody who has tried to make out these tubular fossils will be grateful to Prof. Nicholson for his work. Like most palæontologists, he has suffered from the fact that his predecessors have described genera and species from very imperfect specimens. This is the curse of modern palæontology, and a clean sweep should be made of every classification which is not clear and definite, and which was founded on bad specimens. The difficulty of the subject taken up by the author may be appreciated by noticing the synonymy of the species; and it is interesting to notice how recent investigations by Busk, Waters, and Moseley are influencing the palaeontology of very remote ages.
On the Structure and Affinities of the Genus Monticulipora and its Sub-genera.
By H. Alleyne Nicholson, Professor of Natural History in the University of St. Andrews. Pp. 240, and vi. Plates. (Edinburgh and London: Blackwood and Sons, 1881.)
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D., P. On the Structure and Affinities of the Genus Monticulipora and its Sub-genera . Nature 24, 27 (1881). https://doi.org/10.1038/024027a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/024027a0