Feb. 3, 1876] 



NATURE 



265 



A good map of the territories around the Yellowstone 

 region, and a large scale-map of the Upper and Lower 

 Geyser Basins, enable the reader to follow the author in 

 his wanderings and descriptions. 



From a scientific point of view Mr. Lament's book is 

 more valuable than the one we have been speaking about 

 So long ago as 1858-59, Mr. Lamont made voyages, 

 mainly for sport, to the Spitzbergen Arctic region ; and 

 in 1869-70-71 he made other three voyages. In the 

 volume before us he has brought together some of the 

 most valuable results of his observations during these 

 voyages, and while devoting considerable space to his 

 sporting adventures with the walrus, the seal, and the 

 bear, he gives much information of scientific value. His 

 sporting skill stood him in good stead, as from his large 

 takes of walruses, seals, and bears, not to mention rein- 

 deer and smaller game, he must have been, in 1869 at 

 least, considerably recouped for the expenses of his 

 voyage. 



Mr. Lamont, very naturally judging from his own suc- 

 cess, is inclined to place more value on private Arctic 

 enterprises than on elaborately equipped Government 

 exploring expeditions. He refers to the expedition in the 

 Polaris, commanded by a civiHan, and which got further 

 north than any ship had previously done. But we think 

 that any one who reads the narrative of that unfortunate 

 expedition unprejudicedly, must conclude that had the 

 expedition been under strict naval discipline it would 

 have reached a point still further north, would have ac- 

 complished more in the way of scientific observation than 

 it did, and would not have ended with the disaster 

 that befell it. The last Payer-Weyprecht expedition, 

 though not a Government one, was practically under 

 naval discipline, and the English Government expeditions 

 referred to by Mr. Lamont, did not fail in their endea- 

 vours to push northwards because they were such. But 

 Mr. Lamont speaks as if the main object of Arctic explo- 

 ration were to get as far north as possible, whereas, in the 

 eyes of scientific men, this is a point of minor importance ; 

 and they maintain rightly, we think, and their opinion is 

 supported by past experience, that no Arctic expedition 

 can be adequately equipped to collect all the scientific 

 data which can be so abundantly obtained in these 

 regions, unless it be sent out by Government and be 

 conducted with all the method and strictness which naval 

 discipline alone can enforce. Private enterprises like 

 those of Mr. Lamont and the whale fishers, can do much 

 to add to our knowledge of the Arctic regions, but if we 

 had had to depend entirely on such means, what would 

 have been the amount and value of our knowledge at the 

 present day .'' 



Mr. Lamont gives a minute description of the con- 

 struction of his admirably built steam yacht the Diana, 

 which came unscathed through many dangers. In 1869 

 he sailed as far as the Kara Straits, which he did not 

 enter. Next year, however, he passed through Pet or 

 Jugor Straits, and penetrated a short distance into the 

 Kara Sea, coming out by the Kara Straits. He sailed up 

 the west side of Novaya Zemlya as far as Admiralty 

 Peninsula, and after several trials succeeded in passing 

 through the Matoschkin Schar. He landed on several 

 points of the island, and gives some valuable notes 

 on the faima and flora which he observed. In 1869 



he sailed along the edge of the ice-pack a little north 

 of the 75th degree of latitude, to Spitzbergen, the coasts 

 and gulfs and islands of which in his various voyages 

 he has examined with great minuteness, and contributes 

 several notes on the physical geography and natural 

 history, which will be found of value as supplementary to 

 those of other observers. Regular temperature soundings 

 were taken and the surface-temperature observed, the 

 condition and movements of the ice noted, especially in 

 the Kara Sea, as well as any evidences of currents ; and 

 Mr. Lamont's observations on these points, and especially 

 on the movements of the ice in the Kara Sea, we would 

 recommend to the notice of all interested in Arctic physics 

 and Arctic geography. Mr. Lamont has a right to be 

 considered an experienced Arctic observer, and his 

 opinions should be received with respect Years ago he 

 conjectured that land should be found to the north 

 between Spitzbergen and Novaya Zemlya ; the Payer- 

 Weyprecht Expedition has confirmed this conjecture. 

 He tried hard to get at least a sight of Wiche's Land, but 

 failed, though the Norwegian captains succeeded in 

 reaching it in 1872 ; for there is no doubt that Peter- 

 mann's King Karl Land is that discovered by Edge 250 

 years ago. Mr. Lamont thinks it possible that it may be 

 connected with the recently-discovered Franz Josef Land. 



Mr. Lamont records not only his own observations, but 

 being well up in the literature of the exploration of the 

 region he visited, gives many valuable notes of the work 

 done by previous explorers, as well as by some who have 

 been there since his last voyage. We would recommend 

 to naturalists his observations on the differences between 

 the reindeer of Spitzbergen and that of Novaya Zemlya ; 

 the former he thinks identical \\\ih. the wild and tame 

 deer of Norway and Lapland, whereas the Novaya Zemlya 

 type appears to him more allied to the reindeer of the 

 American Continent. His theory as to the migration of 

 the Spitzbergen type is very remarkable. 



There are many illustrations throughout the work, 

 some of them not well drawn, but all of them helping the 

 reader to realise what is to be seen in the regions to 

 which they refer. Various maps and outlines of coasts 

 add to the value of the work, which we assure our readers 

 they will find full of entertainment and information. 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



Dig Neuere Sch'dpfungsgeschichte nach dem gegenivdrtigen 

 Stande der Naturivisstnschaften. By Arnold Dodel, 

 Privat-docent at Ziirich. (Leipzig : Brockhaus, 1875.) 



Another work on Evolution, equalling the " Origin of 

 Species " in size. The author of these twelve lectures has 

 carefully studied every important work on the subject, 

 and endeavours to give a plain and intelligible account of 

 Evolution in relation to the whole field of biology. The 

 style of the work is vigorous and combative, and consi- 

 derable success in exposition is attained. But many 

 definite conclusions are announced where the most far- 

 seeing evolutionists would only put forward tentative 

 hypotheses. We think it will be far more advantageous 

 for German or other students who have any real know- 

 ledge of biology to study for themselves Mr. Darwin's 

 works than to take a less efficient, though an honest and 

 accomplished guide in Dr. Dodel. The book is well illus- 

 trated with engravings of interesting structures in plants 

 and animals bearing on {Evolution ; it also contains a 



