F. GEOGRAPHY. 261 



the island, principally among the wild tribes. He reports 

 his collections as very extensive, including thirty-five species 

 of serpents. He has also found a number of ancient manu- 

 scripts, and succeeded in preparing a vocabulary of five dif- 

 ferent dialects, proving conclusively that the language spoken 

 by these people is essentially Malayan, and stands in nearest 

 relation to the dialects spoken in the Philippines. 13 A, May 

 23,1874,574. 



THE CHINESE RIVER HANG-KI-ANG. 



According to the Abbe David, the Chinese river Hang-ki- 

 ang, until lately almost unknown, is an important river of 

 commerce, traversed by vessels of every size. A considerable 

 portion, however, is difficult of navigation, owing to the ex- 

 istence of numerous rapids and many rocks. 13 A, February 

 21,1874,201. 



THE SOURCES OF THE IRRAWADDY. 



Among the problems of geographical science still remain- 

 ing unsolved is that regarding the sources of the Irrawaddy, 

 the great river of Burmah; and it was announced at the re- 

 cent meeting of the French Scientific Association that the 

 emperor of the country had recently fitted out an expedition 

 for the purpose of settling the question. S B, August 29, 

 1874,202. 



AN IMPROVED LARGE THEODOLITE. 



Oertling, of Berlin, gives an interesting description of the 

 fine theodolite constructed by him for the use of the United 

 States Engineers' Survey of the great lakes. He states that 

 in the summer of 1866 he received the order through a Bos- 

 ton house to construct, for the Engineer corps at Detroit, 

 three large theodolites, which were to be used on the great 

 survey of the North American lakes. These three theodolites 

 were precisely alike, and were finished, according to the plans 

 given him, in the very short time of fourteen months. Their 

 construction differs in many important details from other 

 instruments of the same class. So far as known to him, he 

 states that as yet no portable instruments having divided 

 circles of twenty-one and a half inches in diameter, and tel- 

 escopes thirty-four inches' focal length, have been made or 



