178 NATURE 
instinctively associate with the tropics, contentedly buzzing 
about the salmon berries and appearing as unconcerned and 
happy as if his fine wings had not carried him some thousands of 
miles from his winter quarters in southern California or Mexico, 
I cannot imagine a more wonderful instance of bird migration 
than this—one of the smallest known birds, no larger than a 
fair-sized moth, yet with strength, endurance, and intelligence to 
travel up and down the greater part of the North American 
coast line, pressing close upon the train of early spring, awaiting 
only the blooming of the wild currant in California and the 
salmon berry farther north, to venture upon his perilous way !” 
What erroneous deductions as to the climate of an 
“inter-glacial period” would probably be drawn if the 
remains of a humming-bird were found in a peat bed 
between deposits derived from glaciers ! 
The “ Forests of Alaska” are described by Prof. B. E. 
Fernow (pp. 235-256), who points out that their economic 
value has been much over-estimated. He notes “the 
astonishing indifference to the influence of the near-by 
ice-masses ” shown by the trees growing in close proximity 
to some of the great glaciers and even upon their surfaces 
where covered by moraine material. This article con- 
tains some interesting observations on the propagation 
and spread of forest growth. 
The general geography and physiography of the 
territory are the subject of a lucid article by Mr. H. 
Gannett (pp. 257-277). In mentioning that the present 
glaciers are “ only trifling fragments ” of the great glaciers 
which occupied this region a short time ago, it is 
remarked that, nevertheless, 
““all the glaciers of Switzerland together would form but a few 
rivulets ot ice on the surface of the Muir Glacier, and the Muir 
is but one of many glaciers of equal magnitude.” 
All observers of the glacial phenomena of the region 
will probably agree with Mr. Gannett that the period 
since the retreat of the ice from the present water-channels 
of the coast cannot have been long. It is evident that 
in Alaska, as in several other glacier-fields of the globe, 
if the existing ice were entirely removed, few of the 
glaciers could ever regain their present dimensions 
under the climatal conditions which now prevail. And it 
seems probable that in some degree the present glaciers 
represent the lingering remnants of the great ice-fields 
of the Glacial period. 
“The Alaska Atmosphere” is dealt with by Prof. 
W. H. Brewer (pp. 279-289), who lays especial stress 
upon the effects produced by the relatively dustless con- 
-dition of the air. 
An article on “ Bogoslof, our Newest Volcano,” by Dr. 
C. H. Merriam (pp. 291-336), copiously illustrated with 
views of the two new volcanic islands at various periods 
in their history, and provided with a bibliographical 
appendix, will appeal to every volcanist. 
In describing “The Salmon Industry” (pp. 337-355), 
which has attained such gigantic proportions in Alaska, 
Dr. G. B. Grinnell once more calls attention to the 
wretchedly wasteful methods adopted by the salmon 
canners in defiance of Congressional laws which there is 
scarcely a pretence of enforcing, and to the consequent 
extraordinarily rapid depletion of supplies supposed at 
first to be inexhaustible. It is the common story of the 
white pioneer in every part of the globe :— 
_ ‘*All these people recognise very well that they are destroy- 
ing the fishing ; and that before very long a time must come 
when there will be no more salmon to be canned at a profit. 
But this very knowledge makes them more and more eager to 
capture the fish and to capture all the fish. This bitter compe- 
tition sometimes leads to actual fighting—on the water as well as 
in the courts. A year or two since, one company which was trying 
to stop another from fishing on ground which it claimed as its 
Own, sent out its boats with immense seines, and dropping them 
about the steam launches of its rival tried to haul them to the 
shore. . Thus the canners work in a most wasteful and 
thoughtlessly selfish way, grasping for everything that is within 
NO. 1703, VOL. 66] : 
[JUNE 19, 1902 
their reach and thinking nothing of the future. Their motto 
seems to be, ‘If I do not take all I can get somebody else will 
get something.’ ” 
The final article of the book, however, reveals the 
pioneer in the unaccustomed vé/e of conservator. It 
consists of a highly interesting account, by Mr. M. L. 
Washburn, of “ Fox Farming in Alaska” (pp. 357-365), 
a new industry which in itself is a striking illustration of 
western resourcefulness and may lead to important future 
developments. 
“Something like fifteen years ago a few men in western Alaska, 
realizing that fur-bearing animals were doomed, decided to try 
the experiment of propagating some of the more valuable kinds, 
Having resided on the Seal or Pribilof Islands and observed 
that the blue fox became somewhat tame, they resolved to try 
its domestication by placing a small number on protected 
islands and caring for them as the stockman cares for his herd 
of cattle or sheep. About twenty foxes were taken from St. 
Paul Island of the Pribilof group, and placed on North 
Semidi, one of the hundreds of unoccupied islands of Alaska, 
and thus the experiment began. . From North Semidi, the 
original ‘ fox-ranch,’ if one may employ such a term, foxes 
were taken to other islands along the Alaska coast:and the 
experiments continued. The results though sometimes dis- 
couraging and not always financially successful, have shown on 
the whole that the animal could be raised and its valuable pelt 
obtained with as much regularity as in the case of the humbler 
domestic animals. About thirty islands are now stocked with 
blue foxes—all the outgrowth of the small stock of twenty foxes 
taken from St. Paul Island fifteen years ago.” 
A description is given of one of these ranches where 
there are now 800 to 1000 foxes. The animals soon learn 
to recognise their keepers and come to know the feeding 
time, gathering round for their daily allowance, and after- 
wards scattering about the island until the time for the 
next day’s dinner. In short, the blue fox has been added 
to the list of domesticated animals. The probable out- 
come is thus stated :— 
“It is believed that the time is not far distant when hundreds * 
of the now useless islands of Alaska will be utilised in the 
propagation of fur-bearing animals, and that many of the farmers 
of the Northern States [/et Canadians take note !| will have 
wire-fenced enclosures of an acre or two devoted to this industry, 
from which they will reap a far greater return than from all the 
rest of their live stock.” 
For the excellency of the paper, printing, illustrations 
and binding, as well as for their contents, these volumes 
are indeed highly to be commended. As an instance of 
rare unobtrusiveness and good taste we may mention 
that in spite of its almost immoderate wealth of illustra- 
tion not a single portrait of Mr. Harriman or of any 
member of his family party is to be found in the work. 
That the literary and scientific members of this summer 
cruise should have occasionally burst into song causes us 
no surprise ; and the sprinkling of verse in the volumes 
is distinctly pardonable in the circumstances. 
G..W., L. 
OBSERVATIONS OF VOLGANIC ACTIVITY IN 
THE WEST INDIES. 
URTHER details of the recent volcanic eruptions at 
Martinique and St. Vincent continue to reach us 
through West Indian and other papers. Though the 
great eruptions of Mont Pelée and the Soufritre occurred 
on May 7-8, the Dominica Guardian states that shocks of 
earthquake were felt so far backas February of last year. 
These disturbances were noticed several times during 
the year, and were regarded as serious in February of 
this year. From April 20 also until the eruption, 
rumbling sounds were frequently heard, especially at 
Fancy and at Frasers. Nineteen shocks were ex- 
perienced within half an hour on May 3 at Wallibou, 
od 
