470 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



structure as the soundest and most scientific of those propounded, de- 

 scribing it as made up of a series of parallel ranges running in an oblique 

 line to the general direction of the whole mass, the great peaks being 

 on terminal butt-ends of the successive parallel ranges, the water-shed 

 following the lowest parts of the ridges, and the drainage crossing the 

 highest in deep gorges directly transverse to the main lines of elevation. 



By order of the Russian governor of Turkistan an expedition w r as 

 titled out at Tashkend in the early part of 1883 for the thorough explo- 

 rasion of the Pamir, or great central table laud of Asia, its members being 

 Captaiu Putiata, of the staff of the Russian army, Mr. Ivanoff, geologist, 

 and M. Bendersky, topographer. By their labors the eastern half of 

 the Pamir has been traversed in eveiy direction, and on its southern 

 border a connection has been made with the surveys and route maps of 

 English travelers by careful astronomical observations at Tash-Kurgan 

 and other points. Among the valuable results of this expedition are a 

 five-verst inap of the whole region, numerous measurements of heights 

 and astronomical determinations of latitude and longitude, and large 

 geological collections throwing light on the formation of the region. 



Colonel Prjevalsky, the indefatigable Russian explorer, has com- 

 menced another journey through Tibet. Starting from Kiachta, near 

 the southern end of Lake Baikal, in Siberia, he crossed the Gobi desert 

 late in 1883, and on January 20, 1881, was at Alashan on his way to 

 Koku-nor. From here Colonel Prjevalsky will attempt the exploratiou 

 of Eastern Tibet during the present year, then following up the Brah- 

 mapootra to Ladak and Hast, and thence by way of Lob-nor and Aksu 

 proceeding to Turkistan. This great expedition, fitted out at the ex- 

 pense of the Russian Government, will thus attempt to bring within the 

 knowledge of the civilized world such portions of Tibet as at present 

 are only known from the desultory travels of a few pundits and mis- 

 sionaries. 



A Russian Government expedition having been engaged in exploring 

 the former channel of the river Oxus, or Amu-Daria, has reported, after 

 running a line of levels between the Caspian Sea and Khiva, that the 

 only way of restoring the river to its old course would be by the con- 

 struction of an artificial canal 125 miles long. Under these circumstances 

 there seems no probability of the task being attempted. 



A large amount of work is in progress by Russian geographers and 

 surveyors; and at an exhibition in April, 1883, of geographical and as- 

 tronomical works at St. Petersburg, many valuable maps of Russian ter. 

 ritory in Asia were shown for the first time. A general description of 

 these is contributed by M. Venukoff to the Bulletin of the French Geo- 

 graphical Society. 



The military operations undertaken by the French in Cochin China 

 will have the effect of adding much to our knowledge of the Indo-Chi- 

 nese peninsula, which, indeed, has been the ground of French explora- 

 tion from a very early day. The Societe Acaclemiqac Indo-Chinoisc have 



