Die Lebensweise der Meeresthiere Beobachtungen über das Leben der geologischwichtigen Thiere

Abstract

THIS is the second part of Prof. Walther's projected extensive geological treatise, the first part of which —on the Bionomy of the Sea—appeared some time ago. Of the three titles given, the second, or subsidiary one, seems best to describe the scope of the present book. It is not, as might be supposed from the primary title, a treatise on the physiology of marine animals—would that it were ! that is still a great desideratum in biology —but is rather some observations on certain points in the life-relations, or mode of occurrence, of certain marine animals, viz. those which are of importance to the geologist [and no less to the biologist] as being the presentday representatives of former animals now preserved as fossils. Walther's idea is that we must study the relations of organisms to their environment at the present day, before drawing deductions from fossil remains as to the physical conditions of past geological periods. His object is to lay a sound foundation of fact, as to the mode of occurrence of particular sets of animals, upon which to base an account of the history or development of the events chronicled in the rocks. The idea is a sound enough one, if not very original—it must surely have been present, consciously or not, in the minds of various geological and biological writers—and the conclusions arrived at, if really based upon a sufficiently large accumulation of statistics, will no doubt be a valuable guide to the geologist in forming his opinions. The book, if very complete in its series of facts, would also be a useful reference work to the zoologist; but it may be doubted, on an examination of the lists given by Walther, whether they are a sufficiently exhaustive compilation to inspire thorough confidence.

Die Lebensweise der Meeresthiere. Beobachtungen über das Leben der geologischwichtigen Thiere.

Von Johannes Walther. Zweiter Theil einer Einleitiing in die Geologie als historische Wissenschaft. (Jena: Gustav Fischer, 1893.)