432 Obituary — Baron Nils Adolf Erik NordensMold. 



exploration was a deep interest in the history of past geographical 

 discovery and the development of cartography, This gave rise to 

 the preparation of his great '•' Facsimile Atlas to the Early History 

 of Cartography" (1889), translated by Ekelof and Sir Clements 

 Markham, and to the equally large complementary work, illustrated 

 with numerous facsimile reproductions of ancient manuscript maps 

 and portolani, and issued in 1897 under the title " Periplus : an 

 essay on the early history of Charts and sailing directions," the- 

 English translation being by F, A. Bather. Nordenskiold, indeed, 

 was half a bookworm, and thus it is that when the Vega reached 

 Japan, he employed his stay there in buying up every book and 

 manuscript he could lay hands on, thus forming the finest collection 

 of Japanese books in Europe. A catalogue of it, by Professor 

 Leon de Rosny, was published at Paris in 1883. 



A feature of Nordenskiold's work, even in its most active 

 manifestations, was always the underlying philosophy, sometimes 

 appearing to the public very remote and speculative, sometimes- 

 fantastical if not absolutely erroneous, but leading as a rule to 

 success and to results of practical value. Thus his views on the 

 origin of cracks in igneous rock, originally sketched out thirty-three 

 years ago in a paper on the geology of Spitzbergen, led ultimately 

 to numerous deep borings for water in the gneiss and granite of 

 Sweden and Finland ; some account of these was published in 

 Natural Science for September, 1895. Nordenskiold also busied 

 himself with a project for an expedition to the Antarctic, which, 

 however, came to nothing at the time. It is interesting, however, 

 to note that his nephew Otto Nordenskiold has been appointed to 

 take command of the Swedish Antarctic expedition. 



At various periods from 1869 onwards Nordenskiold added ta 

 his other duties those of politician, sitting in the Swedish Parliament, 

 first as Liberal member for Stockholm, and subsequently in the 

 Upper House. It is not long since he took part in the deputation 

 that journeyed in vain to St. Petersburg to lay before the Tsar 

 a petition on behalf of the Finnish nation. 



Baron Nordenskiold leaves a widow, a married daughter, and 

 a son, whose mourning is shared by the whole Swedish nation, and 

 by people of culture throughout the world. The son, Erland, is now 

 on an exploring expedition in Patagonia ; his elder brother, Gustaf 

 Erik Adolf, died in 1895, at the age of 27, thus cutting short 

 a career that promised to be one of excellence both as geologist 

 and archeeologist. — F. A. B. 



Errata. — Mr. J. P. Johnson asks us to make the following 

 corrections in his article " Some Sections in the Cretaceous Eocks 

 around Glynde," which appeared in the June number : p. 249, 

 last line of text, and p. 250, line 11 from bottom, for Cuvieri read 

 Brongniarti. — In Mr. F. E. Cowper Eeed's article, August number, 

 page 368, for Pleurotomaria reniformis, Salter, read Pleurotomaria 

 uniformis, Salter. 



