Volcanoes as Landscape Forms, by C. A. Cotton. 8vo.; 401 pages with 223 illustrations. Wellington, N. Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs, Ltd., 1945. Price £1/12/6.

Professor Cotton of Victoria College, Wellington, has made a unique contribution to physiographic literature in this pioneer book.

After a concise introduction in whose 69 pages the mechanism of volcanism is covered, the remaining part of the book is devoted to descriptions of features of physiography resulting from volcanic actions, classified as to types, in 12 chapters, well illustrated by half tones and by line cuts of examples. These examples are drawn more from the Western Pacific than elsewhere, which is reasonable ; but Pelée and Paricutin and Popocatepetl; Shiprock, Santiaguito, Stromboli; Devil’s Tower (Wyoming), Death Valley (California), Deccan (India), Drakensberg (South Africa) ; Katmai (Alaska), Laki (Iceland), and Fernando de Noronha (South Atlantic) are examples of its wide coverage. Ignimbrite, Nuées Ardentes; lahors, pahoehoe lava; calderas, maars, are discussed at length.

Excellent typography, a very workable subject index, and ample references make the book very useful for reference.

The author implies in his preface that he is open to suggestions as to arrangement of the subject. Divided into chapters, each devoted to a particular type of landscape, the reader sometimes feels that he is being jumped so rapidly about the earth that he is not always able to get his bearings from one example to another. Thus on page 351, within 12 lines of his text, the reader is on Lake Van, Armenia; Lake Nicaragua in Central America; Lake Kevin in Africa; and the Roman Campagna.

Recognizing that a division into chapters, each devoted to one geographical district, would be impractical, might it not be possible to systematize the descriptive matter by subheadings, where practical ; or, where several short examples are cited as above, by setting them down, one paragraph apiece, against an indented margin? It seems to the reviewer that some such scheme might add to his readability of the book, and also to its value as a unique reference book, which in fact it is. From this and other recent publications in the Antipodes, our mountaineering and geological libraries should make a point to acquire more of their production.

J. E. F.