A PHILOSOPHY OF GEOGRAPHY 591 



It is to the astronomers and mathematicans, glued to their telescopes 

 or buried in their complex calculations, to whom we must go for knowl- 

 edge of the magnitude of the earth, of ways of locating points, of reasons 

 for climatic conditions, and day and night. And so geography, as a 

 science, is related to their subjects. Probably the plains of Chaldaea and 

 Babylon were the primal seats of observative astronomy. For there the 

 unbroken plains of Mesopotamia could not arouse enthusiasm, but the 

 phenomena in the heavens, changing with the days and the seasons, 

 would most assuredly attract attention. Besides, the level expanses and 

 the clear atmosphere gave excellent opportunities for observation. In 

 the matter of map making, the basis for an understanding of distribu- 

 tion finds its foundation in a knowledge of latitude and longitude. 

 Therefore the geographer is indebted to the mathematical astronomer 

 for the graphical representation of the earth. "We can not understand 

 the make up of the earth, the so-called " mineral kingdom," unless we 

 deal with chemical materials. It is the laws of physics which enable us 

 to theorize about and understand the workings of many geologic proc- 

 esses, as mountain formation and volcanic activity. It is indeed obvious 

 that physical geography rests in an intimate relation with these sciences ; 

 so much so, that certain phases of that study are termed geophysics and 

 geochemistry. 



In botanical fields such questions as these "What determines the 

 flora of the steppes ?" " Why are some regions treeless and others 

 grassy ?" " How is it that the same alpine plants are found on widely 

 separated mountains and not in the intermediate area ?'" " Why is the 

 cactus provided with water storage organs ?" " What are xerophytes, 

 hydrophytes, mesophytes?" These and infinitely many more questions 

 of a similar nature will find their adequate answers only when based 

 upon a knowledge of physical conditions and climatic facts. 



In the study of animal life we do not find so direct a dependence 

 upon geographic conditions as in that of plants, just as among men of 

 to-day the dependence upon immediate environment is less marked than 

 in the life of their primitive ancestors, largely because of the " power of 

 locomotion." However, the mere existence of zoogeographical maps 

 shows that there is, nevertheless, a distinct and important relationship. 

 One finds that species and their distribution are determined largely by 

 food, climate and physical conditions. The mountain goat, the camel 

 of the desert, the river beaver, the wading and swimming birds, the 

 antelope of the plains, the apes of the jungle, the reindeer and polar 

 bear in the arctic, the coral in the warm seas — many of their adapta- 

 tions are determined by the geography of their homes. 



In the study of the highest of animals the same influence is of re- 

 markable importance in the shaping of his character and habits. Why 

 does the African have as occupations, hunting, fishing and modest kinds 



