F. GEOGRAPHY. 259 



ical research is more likely to lead to satisfactory results 

 than is the case of those just mentioned. 12 A, Dec. 18, 

 1873,117. 



EXPLORATIONS BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. 



The organization of an expedition to the Amu-Darya has 

 been finally decided upon by the Imperial Geographical So- 

 ciety of St. Petersburg. This is to be under the command 

 of his imperial highness the Grand Duke Nicolas and of Col- 

 onel Stolotow. It will consist of twenty-six persons, and will 

 be divided into four sections: namely, geodesy and topogra- 

 phy, meteorology, ethnography and statistics, and natural 

 history. It is also stated that a second expedition, to which 

 the government has made a grant of ten thousand rubles, 

 will have for its mission the determining of the geodesy of 

 the region between the Caspian Sea and Lake Aral. A third 

 expedition, already referred to, under Middendorf, lias for its 

 object the exploration of the Ustjast, of the delta of the 

 Amoor, and of the ancient course of the Oxus. 



In the same connection it may be stated that, at the re- 

 quest of the society, the Russian government proposes short- 

 ly to enter upon a complete scientific exploration and survey 

 of the whole of Siberia, the nominal object being the acquisi- 

 tion of information looking toward the construction of various 

 lines of railways. 3 J5, August G, 1874, 530. 



EOIILFS' EXPLORATION OF THE LIBYAN DESERT. 



The exploration of the Libyan Desert, under Gerard Rohlfs, 

 has been completed, and on the 17th of April the intrepid 

 commander presented a narrative of his adventures to the 

 Egyptian Institute at Cairo. The great object of the expe- 

 dition, the oasis of Kufarah, was not reached, as they were 

 impeded by an interminable chain of sand-hills, which the 

 high winds kept shifting so as greatly to endanger their lives. 

 As it was, they lost sixty camels. They then turned toward 

 the north, and after touching at the great oasis of Dachel 

 they passed on to that of Siwah, farther to the west. A large 

 number of photographs were obtained, showing, among oth- 

 ers, the beautiful temple in the oasis of Dachel, with won- 

 derfully preserved hieroglyphics. 13 A, May 1G, 1874, 

 545. 



