MaARcH 22, 1912] 
changes in the nomenclature relating to fam- 
ilies and genera. The author of the publica- 
tion remarks that he has adhered strictly to 
the “International Rules of Zoological 
Nomenclature,” adopted by the International 
Congress of Zoology. It seems a pity these 
adopted rules have been followed by the fre- 
quent discoveries that names familiar for the 
past quarter of a century and more, can no 
longer be permitted to stand. These never- 
ending changes and the constant growth of the 
list of synonyms bring about perplexing con- 
ditions, even to the technical worker. Some 
remedy might result, by accepting as a stand- 
ard, a monumental world’s work like Bou- 
lenger’s “ Catalogue of Reptiles of the British 
Museum.” Time would, of course, elicit 
modifications, but with a standard agreed 
upon our technical workers would find more 
time for investigations along more original 
and generally valuable lines. 
Raymonp L. Drrmars 
NEw YorRK ZOOLOGICAL PARK 
A REMARKABLE JOURNEY ACROSS THE 
SAHARA 
One of the most daring journeys conceiv- 
able on the Sahara has recently been success- 
fully accomplished by Count Réné le More 
who, almost alone, went from southern Al- 
geria directly across the desert to Timbuctu. 
The journey of about 8,000 kilometers alto- 
gether, to Timbuctu and return, occupied 
about 13 months, of which three were passed 
in Timbuctu. 
Leaving Ghardaia in November, 1910, le 
More reached Timbuctu in the last of April. 
He returned by nearly the same route. Dis- 
earding all precedents in Saharan travel, le 
More was accompanied by only two persons, 
a servant and an interpreter-guide, both of 
whom were Arabs. He had one Touareg 
riding camel and two small Algerian baggage 
camels, and carried the minimum amount of 
baggage, of which two or three American 
guns formed a prominent and a useful part. 
No account of this journey has yet ap- 
peared, but in Ze Matin, January 15, 1912, 
SCIENCE 
455 
there is an interview giving some of the main 
facts. The route taken in going was by 
Ghardaia, el Golea, In Salah, Tamanrauet, 
Kidal to Gan Gao, on the Niger River, thence 
by the river to Timbuctu. On the return a 
slightly different course was taken, passing 
somewhat to the west of Timanrauet, but re- 
tracing the previous way from In Salah. 
The entire journey was perilous, not only 
because of the natural dangers attending 
desert travel, but especially on account of 
hostile tribes. Soon after le More left 
Ghardaia, I was told by an officer that the 
venturesome Frenchman would hardly be able 
to pass through the Touareg country with so 
small a company, the Touaregs would surely 
cut off his head. On the way le More went 29 
days, going south from Timanrauet, without 
seeing any person outside of his own caravan. 
On the return the little company had exciting 
adventures in fighting off bands of robbers, 
coming off with better luck than other travel- 
ers through the region. Graves of several un- 
fortunates were seen between Kidal and Gan 
Gao. 
The purpose of the intrepid traveler was to 
study the country that he might later cross to 
Timbuctu by aeroplane. As a result he 
knows the best, or the only situation for relay 
stations, and much of the conditions attend- 
ing desert travel, and he considers the project 
as possible of accomplishment. The result is 
that le More proposes to cross the desert 
again, but the next time in the air. Whether 
this difficult task is finally accomplished by le 
More remains to be seen, but there is little 
doubt that in the very near future aeroplanes 
will not be unknown in the extreme southern 
part of Algeria, since it is said that the 
French army in the colony has been actively 
engaged for several months in working out 
the details of an aeroplane corps with head- 
quarters at Biskra. 
Owing in large part to its relatively high 
elevation above the sea, the western Sahara 
is not so intensely arid as the eastern Sahara. 
In the vicinity of Ouargla and Ghardaia, for 
example, there is considerable vegetation, 
especially along the oueds. Le More’s photo- 
