Septembee 2, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



307 



as possible from tentative theorizing. '" A 

 collection of material for other geologists to 

 use in elucidating, as far as it may serve, those 

 deeper problems often touched upon but as yet 

 unsolved — the source of volcanic heat, the 

 cause of the rise and outflow or ejection of 

 the matter usually classed as volcanic — on 

 these geology has no positive knowledge." A 

 very few pages are descriptive of the general 

 characters of the lavas, including stalactites 

 and stalagmites. Among the few analyses re- 

 printed are some from the Wilkes report, 

 which Dana took special pains to repudiate. 

 The principal topics touched upon in the 

 " Notes " and omitted in the later volume are 

 the sketches of the geology of the other islands 

 of the archipelago, theoretical formation of 

 the Hawaiian group, lava as a formative agent, 

 the formation of pit-craters, erosion, the place 

 of the Hawaiian volcanoes in volcanic systems, 

 theories of volcanic action, the minerals of 

 Hawaii and a chronological list of the known 

 eruptions. 



The failure to present a chronological list 

 of the eruptions for each volcano seriously 

 diminishes the value of the history, especially 

 as the accounts of Mauna Loa are not sepa- 

 rated from those of Kilauea, as was done in 

 the " Notes." It is impossible to learn whether 

 the activities of 1849, 1855 and 1879 in Kil- 

 auea were to be regarded as true eruptions, 

 and an opinion on this point would be a great 

 help. We are left, therefore, to estimate the 

 value of the several disconnected statements, 

 each by itself. 



The general history of Kilauea is simple. 

 Melted lava accumulates in the lower pit, rises 

 gradually till the highest level that can be 

 supported is attained. Then there is a col- 

 lapse, the liquid disappears, whether to flow 

 out of an opening on the flank of the moun- 

 tain, or to sink into the earth, sometimes being 

 discharged at the bottom of the sea. After 

 that the process of accumulation recommences. 

 Since 1820 there have been fifteen of these col- 

 lapses or breakdowns, of which the most spec- 

 tacular was manifested in 1894. The lava 

 lake attained the height of 3,755 feet above the 

 sea, or 282 feet below the Volcano House, with 



an area of 13.37 acres, and occupied the sum- 

 mit of the ascensive column, being kept in 

 place by the cooled edges, presenting the ap- 

 pearance of an inverted saucer. This was the 

 supreme moment in the history of the caldera 

 and should have been commented upon. In- 

 stead of this, Dr. Brigham copied the error of 

 Mr. F. S. Dodge, affirming the altitude to 

 have been 207 feet greater than its actual level. 

 Only a glance at the figure is needed (p. 186) 

 to discover that the datum line of 282 feet was 

 put in the wrong place, and the slip is com- 

 parable with a misprint in correcting proof. 

 Mr. Dodge has corrected the misstatement 

 in the record book, but not before it had been 

 quoted by Dr. Brigham, L. A. Thurston, S. E. 

 Bishop, W. H. Pickering and others. It is to 

 be presumed that no one will be more annoyed 

 than the author himseK when he discovers the 

 error, and the importance of having the exact 

 figure stated for the highest known lake of fire 

 in Kilauea. 



The information about the eruption of 1832 

 from Kilauea is obtained from Eev. J. Good- 

 rich. An abstract of his statement is pre- 

 sented between quotation marks, and Mr. 

 Goodrich is thus made responsible for the use 

 of two words which he did not employ. The 

 first is Kilauea iki and the second is Sale- 

 maumau. When quoted in 1865 the term 

 Poli Keawe was employed instead of Kilauea 

 iki. Even if some should think it justifiable 

 to put quotation marks upon an abstract, 

 where is the propriety of quoting one geo- 

 graphical term in 1865 and replacing it by 

 another in 1909 ? 



The illustrations of the book are its par- 

 ticular feature. These have been carefully 

 selected and well printed. One hundred and 

 forty-three are printed with the text and vary 

 in size. Many of these relate to the early 

 history, are correctly copied from the original 

 drawings or engravings, and can be usefully 

 employed in making restorations of the true 

 dimensions. Twenty-eight illustrations are of 

 full size in the book, measuring 9.5 by 12 

 inches. The chef d'oeuvre is the frontispiece, 

 Halemaumau in 1880, presented in bright col- 

 ors after a painting by C. Furneaux. 



