88 NA TURE-STUD Y RE VIEW [11 :2— Feb, 1915 



co-operate with the schools in parent-teacher associations and such 

 organized parental efforts to improve the school situation. 



Through the Grand Canyon, from Wyoming to Mexico. 



E. L. Kolb. Pp. xix + 344. The Macmillan Co. $2.00. 



Mr. Kolb and his brother Emory are professional photographers 

 and have lived for years in the Grand Canyon taking pictures of 

 its varied aspects. The present book is the tale of the consuma- 

 tion of an ambition which they had for years, namely, to go through 

 the Grand Canyon and similar canyons above it taking pictures, 

 especially using a moving picture machine. In all they travelled 

 some 1600 miles by river descending in this distance something 

 over 6000 feet, so that in many spots the river was perilously 

 rough. Many preceding parties had been ship wrecked and the 

 adventurers drowned, though several had succeeded in making 

 the trip. Mr. Kolb and his brothers are naturalists as well as 

 photographers, and the tale gives many details of the interesting 

 animal and plant life encountered en route. It is as a tale of 

 thrilling adventure, however, that the book appeals most. Any- 

 one with a particle of red blood will be stirred by the descriptions 

 of the descent of some of the more difficult stretches of water. 



Mr. Kolb himself at the outset had little or no experience with 

 a boat, so that he learned to row in the first few miles of quiet 

 water. He evidentl}^ soon grows used to the operation, for the 

 later experiences taxed the skill of sturdy boatmen. Usually the 

 boat was turned with the bow up stream, the oarsman rowing to 

 prevent the boat from going too rapidly. In this way the boatman 

 was able to see the difficult places down stream. Not uncommonly 

 the rapids were too swift and rocky to be undertaken in this way, 

 and then with lines attached to the boats the latter were guided 

 from shore or by members of the party w^ading in the shallow 

 waters. Some of the precipitous descents were too difficult 

 to be run in this wise and as a last resort the boats and supplies 

 were carried around the obstructions. Portageing was the last 

 resort, however, since not infrequently it involved dragging sup- 

 plies up and down almost impassable shoulders of the canyon walls. 



The book is one that any person who enjoys adventure at all 

 will read with delight. The reader has also a very vivid notion of 

 the Grand Canyon and of the work the river is doing far below 

 the le vel of the surrounding plains. It is one of those wonders that 



