614 Reviews — The Arctic Manual. 



memoir, " The Cave-find in the Kesslerloch," etc. We are glad to 

 be able to announce that Mr. John E. Lee, F.S.A., F.G.S., is about 

 to re-publish this Swiss work as an English book with all the plates. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XV. 



Incised outline of a Eeindeer on a piece of the round shaft of a Reindeer antler 



from the Kesslerloch Cave or Rock-shelter near Thaingen, Canton of Schaff- 



hausen (natural size). 

 The surface of the cylindrical and engraved piece of antler is here shown as if 



extended open : — 

 A, A, the side with the figure of the Reindeer ; 

 P>, B, the other side bearing incised marks, probably representing herbage and 



water. 

 a, a, mark a line between the two sides of the engraved antler. 



II. — Manual of Natural History, Geology, and Physics ; and 

 Instructions for the Arctic Expedition, 1875. 8vo. pp. 86 

 and 783. (London : Eyre & Spottiswoode.) First Notice. 



EEW fields of geographical discovery, indeed few branches of 

 scientific research, have either excited such abiding interest or 

 had such an ancient and continuous history as that of Arctic Ex- 

 peditions. 



The difficulties that lie in the way of explorers in the more northern 

 seas, and the ignorance which necessarily exists as to the geographical 

 and meteorological phenomena of the unknown area surrounding the 

 North Pole, have been incentives to other nations besides our own to 

 solve the mysteries of the Arctic Kegions. 



The voyage of the Polaris, under Captain Hall, and that of the 

 Germania in 1869-70, under Koldewey, were both evidences that 

 the spirit of arctic discovery was by no means dead ; but since the 

 expedition of Sir Leopold McClintock in the Fox, in search of the 

 missing crews of Franklin's ships in 1857-9, no important effort 

 has been made under the auspices of the English Government to 

 make one more attempt to penetrate the unknown lands, and set at 

 rest, if possible, the eager spirit of scientific inquiry which lies at 

 the foundation of such researches. 



The discoveries of the Polaris and Germania, however, seem to 

 have aroused anew the desire of the English nation not to be behind- 

 hand in the great work. At the close of 1874 the Government 

 decided to take the matter in hand, and by its powerful assistance 

 enable an expedition to be despatched, which should, from its careful 

 and complete preparation, depart on its mission under better auspices 

 and with greater chance of success than had fallen to the lot of any 

 previous squadron. 



The Alert and Discovery were therefore purchased and prepared, 

 strengthened and fitted with every modern appliance which could 

 either lessen the difficulties or lead to the success of the object in 

 view, not merely the planting of the British flag on the northern axis 

 of the earth, but to increase the knowledge of the Physical Geo- 

 graphy of the Arctic regions, and add, therefore, to the scientific 

 knowledge of the world. 



Eecent voyages had led to the conjecture that the path offering the 



