Notices resjyecthig New Booh. 55 



prospectus, form half of the contemplated series. Each part con- 

 tains three maps ; and as these are not published in any regular ar- 

 rangement, they are sufficiently varied to give a good idea of the 

 intentions of the editors. The following is a summary view of the 

 published maps. 



Part I. — 1. A Physical Chart of the Atlantic Ocean; 2. a map of 

 the Mountain Systems of Europe; 3. map and elevations illustra- 

 ting the Distribution of Plants. In the first will be found, in addi- 

 tion to the usual peculiarities of charts, such as distances, currents, 

 &c., the temperature at different points, the situation and form of 

 Fucus banks and the appearances of volcanic action, with the exist- 

 ing statistics of icebergs and doubtful islands, and the tracks com- 

 monly followed by navigators. The various phaenomena are briefly 

 described in the accompanying letter-press, as much as possible of 

 the information being tabulated. The most striking feature of the 

 second map is the application of the system of contour lines, with- 

 out which indeed all plane representations of elevated tracts are but 

 very vague. In the third map are embodied Schouw's phyto-geo- 

 graphic labours, together with statistical information of Humboldt 

 and other travellers. 



Part II. — 1. The distribution of part of the Mammalia; 2. a 

 H^'etographic map of tlie world; 3. the River systems of Europe 

 and Asia. The first includes a view of the range of four raammife- 

 rous families, viz. the Quadrumana, Marsupialia, Edentata and Pa- 

 chydermata ; the types of these families being represented pictorially 

 for the benefit of those unacquainted with scientific classification. 

 The Hyetographic or Rain map is an attempt to indicate, by various 

 degrees of shading, the relative amount of rain falling in different 

 districts ; it is accompanied by a quantity of statistical tables of 

 great value. This map has a peculiarly novel appearance ; and the 

 contrasts obtained by means of the shading are very striking ; the 

 great deserts and the rainless districts of South America, so graphi- 

 cally descril)ed by Mr. Uarwin in his journal, standing out strangely 

 in their whiteness from the dark regions near the equator. The 

 River systems are arranged so as to display the great basins of the 

 two continents and course of the rivers, thus forming a kind of sup- 

 ])lement to the view of the mountain chains. The description in- 

 cludes hydrographic tables, &c. 



Part III. — 1. Glaciers and glacial phrcnomena; 2. distribution 

 of Carnivora ; 3. Physical Chart of the Pacific. The first map has 

 been compiled from the researclies of Forbes, Raymond, Charpentier, 

 Weiss, &c. This is accompanied by a descriptive treatise by Prof. 

 J. D. Forbes, giving a detailed account of the Euroi)e<xn glaciers, 

 founded on his own extensive researches. Those of South America, 

 described ))y Captain King and Mr. Darwin, are also noticed, and 

 the glaciers of Sir James Ross's great south polar continent. In 

 addition to the general distribution of the Carnivora, the second 

 sheet contains a map of tlic regions of the northern wliale and seal 

 fisheries, and tho.sc inhabited by fur-bearing animals. The Chart of 

 the Pacific resembles that of the Atlantic, containing of course many 

 jtcculiar points of interest. 



