86 Address. [Feb. 



The Scottish GeograpJiical Magazine contains a very interesting ac- 

 count of the Andaman Islands and their Inhabitants, by Colonel T. 

 Cadell, V. C, and the Mitheilungen der K. K. Geographisch Gesellschaft, 

 of Vienna, gives a paper by Dr. Svoboda on the Nicobar Islands and 

 the Nicobarese, dealing with the geography of the islands and the 

 customs of the people, including a full account of their funeral cere- 

 monies. 



Our former valued member and contributor, Mr. V. Ball, has pub- 

 lished a translation of Tavernier's " Travels in India," with copious 

 notes, specially relating to the mineralogy of the diamond mines of 

 Golconda and other parts of India. 



Marine Surveys. — Commander Carpenter's Report on the Marine 

 Survey of India, which forms Appendix IX of the Annual Adminis- 

 tration Report of the Indian Marine for 1888-89, gives a very interesting 

 account of the operations of the survey and of the zoological work con- 

 nected therewith. 



It appears that during the seven years which had elapsed since 

 H. M. I. M. S. " Investigator " made her first surveying trip, she has 

 run some 44,0U0 nriles, and that, inclusive of boat-work, a total of 33,500 

 miles of close soundings have been run, but as on the 4-inch scale there 

 are 12 to 15 lines of soundings to a square mile, the total linear mileage 

 of survey completed sufficiently for safe navigation round the coast of 

 India is only 1,715 miles out of 5,000, or just one-third. 



The work of the season commenced in April in the neighbourhood 

 of the Andamans and about 100 miles west of these islands, a submarine 

 elevation was found of 1,370 fathoms standing a plateau of about 1,700 

 fathoms, which difference represents a submerged peak, 2,000 feet high. 

 Subsequent investigation shewed a continuation of this I'idge or plateau 

 of 1,700 fathoms. Between this ridge and the islands there is a groove 

 or valley of 1,900 to 2,000 fathoms, which appears to stretch up from 

 Acheen ; and on the west side of the valley the water appeared to be 

 slightly colder than the normal temperature of those depths. 



After recessing at Poona, the party left Bombay in October, and 

 some further soundings made between the Northern Lakadivh banks and 

 the coast bank proved that the Lakadivh group form a chain of peaks 

 rising from a bed of 1,100 fathoms, and are in themselves 6,600 feet 

 above the bottom, or about the height of the Western Ghats in the same 

 latitude. Some of the islands and banks are reported out in position, and 

 will have to be examined. From Colombo, the ' Investigator ' proceeded 

 to the Andamans and the soundings round South Sentinel Island were 

 completed. Several fine specimens of the robber crab, " Birgus latro," 

 were secured here. 



Observations shewed that the little Andaman had to be moved 



