260 THE UNMAPPED AREAS ON THE EARTH'S SURFACE 



son bay b}' Dr Bell and beyond the Ottawa by Mr O'Sullivan. 

 Although the eastern and western ])rovinces have been ver}^ fully 

 survej'ed, there is a considerable area between the two lying be- 

 tween Lake Superior and Hudson bay which seems to have been 

 so far almost untouched. A very great deal has been done for 

 the survey of the rivers and lakes of Canada. I need hardly say 

 that in Canada, as elsewhere in America, there is ample scope for 

 the study of many problems in physical geography — j^ast and 

 present glaciation and the work of glaciers, the origin and regime 

 of lake basins, the erosion of river beds, the oscillation of coast 

 lines. Happily, both in Canada and the United States there are 

 man3''nien competent and eager to work out problems of this class, 

 and in the reports of the various surveys, in the transactions of 

 American learned societies, in scientific periodicals, and in sepa- 

 rate publications, a wealth of data has already been accumulated 

 of immense value to the geographer. 



UNITED STATES 



Every geologist and geographer knows the important work 

 which has been accomplished by the various surveys of the 

 United States, as well as by the various State surveys. The 

 United States Coast Survey has been at work for more than half 

 a century, mapping not only the coast but all the navigable 

 rivers. The Lake Survey has been doing a similar service for 

 the shores of the Great Lakes of North America. But it is the 

 work of the Geological Survey which is best known to geogra- 

 phers—a survey which is really topographical as well as geolog- 

 ical, and which, under such men as Hayden, King, and Powell, 

 has produced a series of magnificent maps, diagrams, and mem- 

 oirs of the highest scientific value and interest. Recently this 

 survey has been placed on a more systematic basis, so that now 

 a scheme for the topographical survey of the whole of the terri- 

 tory of the United States is being carried out. Extensive areas 

 in various parts of the States have been already surveyed on 

 different scales. It is to be hoped that in the future, as in the 

 past, the able men who are employed on this survey work will 

 have opportunities of working out the physiography of particu- 

 lar districts, the past and present geography' of which is of ad- 

 vancing scientific interest. Of the complete exploration and 

 mapping of the North American continent we need have no ap- 

 prehension ; it is only a question of time, and it is to be hoped 

 that neither of the governments responsible will allow political 



