THE 



NATURAL HISTORY REVIEW. 



IS^ftiefos. 



Norway and its Glaciers, visited in 1851. By James D. Forbes, D.C.L., 

 F.R.S., &c. Edinburgh : Adam Black. 1853. Price, £1 Is. 



A goodly volume lies before us — broad margin, fine paper, excellent illus- 

 trations. We like such books. We use the word "like" as did the child 

 who being asked whether she liked pudding or mamma better, adroitly- 

 replied — " I like pudding ; I love mamma." We like a handsome book ; 

 we love a good one. That Forbes's Norway is the former must be " plain 

 to all beholders ;" it at once recommends itself to those who purchase on 

 such considerations, and needs not our commendation of its external beauty. 

 Having thus the advantage of a favourable first impression, we endeavour, to 

 a certain extent, to inform our readers of its other merits. Thinking it pro- 

 bable that the generality of reviewers will address themselves particularly to 

 his descriptions of the glaciers, we first take, as an example of his style, and 

 as an extract having a special interest to Irish readers, his account of his visit 

 to an encampment of Laplanders, near Tromsb. It is right that we should 

 explain that the learned Retzius has shown that the earliest inhabitants of 

 Ireland, of whose skulls remains still exist, were identical in ethnological 

 character with the Lapps of the present day ; thus the interest referred to 

 arises in us: — 



"In the evening, a party from the steamer, accompanied by several gentlemen, 

 from Tromso, proceeded in a boat across the sound (which is here only one-third 

 of an English mile in width), to visit an encampment of Laplanders, who annually 

 return to the same spot with their herds of reindeer. We landed near the opening 

 of a valley which terminates in a hill of considerable height partly covered with 

 snow. It is called, I believe, the Tromso -tind. On either side of the valley, hills 

 rise to 1,500 feet or more, and are green to the top. These furnish pasture to the 

 reindeer. The bottom is well wooded with trees of respectable growth, far superior 

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