Student Review: How plants and animals live, die and fossilise

In the second volume of his Principles of Geology (University of Chicago
Press, pp 330, £27.95 hbk, £11.95 pbk), Charles Lyell turned
his attention to the living world. How plants and animals live, die and
fossilise is the basis of stratigraphy. In spite of its age this text illuminates
the problems that persist today.