638 , REPORT—1904. 
The author described the general characteristics of these Portolani, tracing 
their evolution from the ‘Carte Pisane’ and the first design of Giovanni de 
Carignano (of the opening years of the fourteenth century) to the more complete 
examples, in which certain characteristic representations of the coasts dealt with 
have become more or less established. In contrast with the uniformity of the 
general features of the maps, the loxodrome network displays great variation, 
two designs of exactly similar character in this respect being rarely met with. As 
regards the origin of the Portolani, he upheld the views of Fischer (as 
opposed to those of Nordenskiéld), that the chief credit in the matter justly rests 
with the Italians rather than the Catalans, and pointed out the difficulties in the 
way of accepting the Byzantine origin suggested in 1881 by Fiorini. He con- 
cluded by showing how all genuine progress in geographical delineation followed 
the lines of the Portolani, and pointing out that their failure for long to meet 
with just appreciation was due to the fact that they never attempted to gratify 
popular taste. 
