216 Book Reviews

‘ ‘Geochemistry’ ’ , the paper by Rao et al. proposes possible linkage between India and Antarctica on the basis of geochemical evidence. The other two contri- butions in this section: “The evolution of the Chamockite-suite in the Petermann ranges” (by A. Joshi and N.C. Pant) and “Geochemistry of metapelites from a high grade terrain of southern Kamataka in South India” (by B. Mahabaleswar et al.), are largely of local significance. The section on “Geophysics” contains only one paper that enumer- ates the geophysical work done by Indian teams in Antarctica since 198 1. It would have been desirable to have a few papers on the geophysical aspect of the Indian Shield with special reference to the correla- tion between the Precambrian rocks in India and Antarctica.

The next section on ‘ ‘Magmatism and Mineraliza- tion” consists of two papers on magmatism: “Acid magmatic events of the West Indian craton” (by SK. Bhushan) and “Petrogenesis of tabular granites, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica” (by G.H. Grantham). The last and third paper in this section is a good study, in particular because it brings out correlation between different parts of the East Gond- wana ensemble on the basis of gem mineralization (by R.D. Menon and M. Santosh).

The last section, “Geochronology”, begins with an interesting paper suggesting the break up of the Gondwana continent at ca. 350 Ma (by M. Jayananda et al.). The formation of Pan-African chamockites in the Madurai block (Southern India) is ascribed to the granulite metamorphism (ca. 550-500 Ma) in a post-collision and extensional tectonic setting (by J.M. Barlett et al.). An early event of granulite metamorphism (ca. 3.0 Ga) and a late event of regional metamorphism (2.5 Ga) are deciphered in the charnockite rocks of Southern India (by C. Un- nikrishnan-Warrier et al.). They argue juxtaposition of the Napier Complex in East Antarctica and the Madras chamockite in India on the basis of geochronological evidence.

The book is not free of editorial mistakes. I was amused by “plain view” in place of “plan view” (caption to fig. 7, p.233). The map showing juxtapo- sition of India, Sri Lanka and Antarctica is repro- duced in different ornamentations and forms, for five times, at least. Occasionally, the reference list is incomplete. Although the reproduction quality of

photographs is good, many figures, particularly structural maps, are cryptic and unnecessarily ab- struse (e.g., fig. 1, p.112). The legends of maps are often illegible (e.g., fig. 2, p.208). The authors who have used different shades of grey in their figures will find quality of reproduction far from satisfac- tory. Credit must go to the editors as well as to the Geological Society of India for making a brave attempt of bringing out a book on a very topical and challenging subject. They have put together diverse information on the Precambrian rocks in some parts of India and Antarctica. I am afraid, the readers expecting a thorough correlation between the Pre- cambrian rocks of India and Antarctica may be disappointed by the bulk of content. The editors lament the fact that several important aspects like paleomagentism, basic magmatism and metallogeny are not represented in the book (p.xii in “Introduc- tion”. Many more aspects (e.g., sedimentology) could be added to this list. A personal copy of this book will certainly be handy for all those interested in the Precambrian geology of the Eastern Ghat belt, Southern India and Antarctica.

DEEPAK C. SRIVASTAVA (Roorkee, India)

PI/ SOOl2-8252(97)00009-3

Plate Tectonics

Plate Tectonics and Crustal Euolution, 4th edition, by Kent C. Condie, 282 pp., 1997, paperback ISBN o-7506-3386-7, E24.99, Butterworth-Heine- mann

This is the fourth edition of a textbook that was originally published in 1976. I was not aware of the book’s earlier existence, but wish that I had been, because it is most useful. It is a textbook for the more advanced undergraduate that contains just about everything one could want for a thorough back- ground to plate tectonics and crustal evolution. The topics which are included to help understand and appreciate these main themes are the structure of the crust and of the mantle and core and essential infor- mation on the geophysical and geochemical charac-

Book Reviews 277

teristics of the structure of the earth. There are also two closing chapters on the non-solid earth and on comparative planetary evolution. The text throughout is well laid out, well organised, and well written. As a consequence the material is clearly explained, while still maintaining a high level of presentation. The figures are mostly of good quality and are well chosen. There are few photographs.

Each of the total of seven chapters ends with a section called ‘Summary Statements’, which consists of a quite lengthy numbered list that condenses the content of each chapter down into a form that could be used as an aid to exam revision. Each chapter also has a section that suggests further reading.

The book ends with a long reference list that also includes many references from 1995 and 1996. This testifies to the very modem treatment of the topics covered and adds to the overall impression that this volume is bang up to date.

Also at the end of the book is a good index, although I somehow found the well laid out contents list at the front of the book more useful, in that it allows the reader to see at a glance the relationship between the various subjects.

erroneous assumptions that can colour views of ex- tinctions such as that at the K/T boundary (in particular divesting one of the misconceptions that the K/T boundary extinction took place almost overnight) and through the many controversies that surround this topic. To add to this cautionary tone the book also discusses not only the difficulties of recognising extinctions in what there is available in the fossil record but also explains that, throughout the history of the earth, extinctions are the rule rather than the exception-the drama comes from the atten- tion that the casual reader gives to the five big mass extinctions. This cautionary note, and placing extinc- tions in the perspective of the whole course of earth history, pervades the entire book. The dramatic causes are covered well-volcanism and meteorite impact-but the author also lays great stress on the less dramatic but seemingly just as important, such as marine regression, habitat fragmentation and the increase in competition due to invaders crossing land bridges.

To conclude, this is a nicely presented treatment of plate tectonics and crustal evolution that should be most useful for undergraduate students in the earth sciences.

TIMOTHY J. HORSCRO~ (Leiden, The Netherlands)

PI1 SOO12-8252(97)00017-2

K-T boundary

The book contains an index and reference list. The illustrations are basic but informative. Also in- cluded is a chapter entitled ‘Who’s who of the Late Cretaceous’, which describes vertebrate fossils of that series. This section could have been easily placed as an appendix, but instead has been placed as a regular chapter in the middle of the book, which I suppose is what is to be expected, given the empha- sis that the author places on the fossil record.

This book is a very enjoyable and informative read, especially for those interested in dinosaurs and extinctions but not versed in the details of palaeon- tology, and the paperback edition is well priced.

Dinosaur Extinction and the End of an Era: What the Fossils Say, by J.D. Archibald. Columbia University Press, 1996, 237 pp., paperback US$ 29, hardback US$ 57 (ISBN O-231-07625-8).

TIMOTHY J. HORSCROFT (Leiden, The Netherlands)

PII SOOl2-8252(97)00018-4

This book is written from the standpoint of the author’s interest in vertebrate palaeobiology and the Cretaceous-Tertiary of eastern Montana, and accord- ingly opens with a discussion of the dinosaur fauna of the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Montana.

Environmental Geochemistry

Environmental Geochemistry and Health. J.D. Ap- pleton, R. Fuge and G.J.H. McCall (Editors). The Geological Society, Bath, 1996, hardcover, viii + 264 pp., &59, ISBN 1-897799-64-O.

The style throughout is readable North American Environmental geochemistry influences human English and it leads the reader carefully through and animal health through natural geochemical varia-