LECTURES. X33 



maps of Russian America, but only one or two attempts at a geologi- 

 cal survey of that country. If we should chronologically interlink 

 the latter with the former class, we would always have much trouble 

 to discover them again. 



Then again, the American waters — I mean those parts of the ocean 

 which belong more or less to this continent — have had different physi- 

 cal mai)s constructed for them, (such as maps of tides, currents, 

 winds, '&c.^) but never any political maps, (which, by the by, is a 

 somewhat curious omission, as certain political divisions and limits 

 on these waters might readily have been discovered.) How could we 

 connect the physical maps of our oceans with those political divisions 

 of the continent? I therefore believe that it is better to separate 

 altogether the few physical maps which we possess from the_ topo- 

 graphical and political ones, and to collect them into special divisions. 

 This could be done in different ways, either by forming an entirely 

 separate body of the physical maps, or by forming them into a kind of 

 supplement to each of the great and small divisions of the topograph- 

 ical and political maps. 



If we should adopt this latter plan, then, under such heads as "Mis- 

 sissippi valley," or ^' State of New York," would first be given, in 

 their chronological order, the topographical and political maps, and 

 after them the botanical, geological, zoological,, and others. This 

 would afford the advantage of having the entire body of information 

 respecting any one region in one and the same place. 



But I believe the number of physical maps would be too small even 

 for this manner of disposing of them. The physical features of the 

 different regions have not, as yet, been figured much in detail. It is 

 true we have not only general geological maps for the whole of Ame- 

 rica, but also now and then a special one for a State or some other 

 smaller country. But for many other branches of natural science 

 there exists either no map at all or only very general ones. Where, 

 for instance, shall we find a zoological,, climatological, or magnetical 

 map of Massachusetts or Rhode Island ? Many extensive regions of 

 America are as yet so little known, that we are happy to have even 

 their more general physical features traced in a more or less accurate 

 way. If^ therefore^ we should make preparations for supplements to 

 every one of them for the reception of their physical maps, we would 

 often find nothing wherewith to fill these supplements, I think, 

 therefore, that the best plan of proceeding would be to put the small 

 number of our physical maps by themselves, and to prepare for them 

 a special department, co-ordinate and supplementary to the great 

 body of topographical and political maps. 



If this be so, the question next arises, how should we organize this 

 separate body of physical maps ? Ought we to proceed here in the 

 same manner as with the classification of the other maps ? Shall we 

 first collect the general physical maps of America, and then those of 

 particular river basins, empires, States, provinces, &c. And shall 

 we repeat this for each of the different branches of natural science — 

 first, mineralogy, then magnetism, and so on? 



The present state of our chartography hardly warrants the adoption 

 of such a plan. For many branches of natural science we possess no 



