436 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LIV. No. 1401 



sential characteristics of the mountaiii ranges 

 of this part of Albania were much more 

 easily observable than from the ground, while 

 something could also be determined about the 

 form of the seaward extension of the land 

 under the shallow marginal waters of the 

 Adriatic, esi>eciaUy as to the submarine ex- 

 tension of delta and beach deposits. 



In an aeroplane flight from Paris to Lon- 

 don this past summer I was again impressed 

 with the potential value of the aeroplane in 

 physiographic reconnaissance. The surface 

 of northern France is of very moderate re- 

 lief, yet when flying low it was much easier 

 to observe many critical features and to note 

 their broader relationships than would have 

 been the case from selected points on the 

 ground. The excellent topographic maps of 

 this region render aerial observation less 

 necessary than in countries where maps are 

 poor in quality, or wholly lacking; but there 

 can be no doubt of the value of such observa- 

 tion in supplementing map studies and ordin- 

 ary field work on the ground. On both the 

 French and English shores of the English 

 Channel shoreline phenomena such as cliffs, 

 beaches, dunes, deltas, and submarine bars not 

 only were remarkably distinct, but their rela- 

 tions to surrounding features api>eared with a 

 clearness observable in no other manner. 

 Certainly the large scale British maps of the 

 Dungeness foreland, excellent as they are, 

 give no such vivid impression of the evolu- 

 tion of that wonderful series of beach ridges 

 as comes to one who looks down on the fore- 

 land from an aeroplane flying at an altitude 

 of a few thousand feet. In the late afternoon 

 the unroofed dome of the Weald had all the 

 distinctness of a relief model, with the 

 oval pattern of its infacing cuestas or hog- 

 backs readily distinguishable. 



In the detailed work of tracing specific 

 peneplane levels across mountainous country 

 one not infi'equently encounters the difficulty 

 that in critical areas where observations are 

 much needed the only effective viewpoints are 

 rendered useless by a dense forest cover; or 

 one may climb a selected peak only to find 

 that it is not at the proper elevation to give 



the best results. Good field observations may 

 be of vital importance, not merely as a check 

 on profile studies based on topographic maps, 

 but also because the limitations of the pro- 

 file method are such that not infrequently 

 proper field observation alone can settle 

 doubtful points. It has occurred to me that 

 in studies of this nature either the captive 

 balloon or aeroplane could be used to good 

 effect. Map studies, where possible, will de- 

 fine the limits of the problems to be settled 

 in the field, and indicate the places where 

 evidence of decisive value can most probably 

 be secured by satisfactory observations. A 

 few hours in captive balloon or aeroplane 

 under these conditions might prove of more 

 value than weeks of inconclusive work on the 

 ground. 



Douglas Johnson 

 Columbia University 



SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE IN EUROPEAN 

 COUNTRIES 



The lead taken by the Biological Club of the 

 University of Minnesota should certainly be 

 followed by many other scientific groups or 

 individuals, according to their ability. Such 

 arrangements as Dr. Barker describes not only 

 promote the interests of science, but also aid 

 materially in bringing about that international 

 good-will and cooperation which this world so 

 sorely needs. After a visit to Europe one re- 

 turns with the conviction that if the psycholog- 

 ical difficulties could be overcome, it would not 

 take very long to restore material prosperity. 

 Could Europe somehow be endowed with a 

 genuinely scientific spirit, combined with gen- 

 eral good will, the fearful situation which now 

 exists might well give way to a new epoch com- 

 pared with which the past would seem like a 

 bad dream. 



During the winter I was in Portugal and the 

 Madeira Islands, I found that the escudo, 

 formerly having the value of a dollar, was 

 rapidly diminishing in exchange value. On 

 arriving in Madeira in December, I got 28 for 

 an English pound. When I left, in March, the 

 exchange was fl actuating between 45 and 50 to 

 the pound. I met a very able and enthusiastic 



