888 Origin of the Grand Outline Features of the Earth. 
sive curves, convex westward, which characterize the mountains 
of Eastern Australia, and without reference to any hypothesis, or 
to such a system of thingselsewhere. Profs. Rogers in their elab- 
orate papers on the Appalachians, mention that these mountains, 
in their course from Maine to Georgia, are made up of a series of 
great curves, which they describe separately and with detail. We 
shall allude, on a following page, to Dr. Percival’s interesting ob- 
servations on the trap ridges of New England, which sustain the 
same principles in all their detail. Sufficient has been brought 
forward to illustrate the general fact, that the great chains of 
mountains, as well as of islands, are interrupted ranges, consisting 
of overlapping lines, either straight or curved ; and that curves 
constitute an essential feature in the system. We have, there- 
fore, but a small part of the truth in the conclusion before stated, 
that there are two prevalent trends in the system of the earth. 
There is still another point to be observed before we are pre- 
pared to draw any conclusions from the facts. Namely :— 
VI. The approximately rectangular intersections of two sys- 
tems of trends wherever they occur together. 
The curving direction of the Java range has been pointed out 
in its course from Sumatra east. Looking again at the map, the 
reader will observe that the coast lines of the large islands north, 
are approximately north and south in direction ; but vary exactly 
with the Java curve. Celebes and Gilolo are north and south 
(ef, gh, fig. 8) like western Mindanao ; and correspondingly, the 
Java line in the meridian of Celebes, is east and west. \'The east 
coast of Borneo. varies a little to the east of north, and aline 
drawn along it (cd, fig. 8) would meet the Java range at right an- 
gles, or where this range inclines about as many degrees to the 
north of west. The west side of Borneo varies forty degrees to 
the east of north, (ab, fig. 8,) and at the same time the Java 
range, where the line of this side continued would meet it, has a 
like variation. to the north of west, not differing even a degree, 
thus making the intersection rectangular. Hence it would seem 
that the shape of Borneo. was connected in origin with the trend 
of the Java range; and not only this, the whole surface covered 
by the islands from Luzon to the Java range, has nearly the same 
shape as Borneo. get 
The successive curves on the east coast of Asia, are nearly at 
right angles with one another at their extremities. Thus Niphon 
stands nearly at right angles with the south extremity of the 
urile range; so Kiusiu, with the same extremity of the Japan 
range : and also Formosa with that of the Loochoo range. 
_ In New Zealand, the two systems, as shown by the outline of 
the group, are nearly at right angles. The 'Tonga range is nearly 
at right angles with the Samoa or Navigators, Passing by other 
cts in the central Pacific, the Galapagos present the same rect 
