220 
MISCELLANEA. 
sisting of 75 mammals ; 300 specimens of plants, 24 new ; 700 specimens 
and 400 varieties of birds, 24 new ; 375 specimens of reptiles, 22 new, and 
7,000 specimens of butterflies, 50 nev/. 
POLAR REGIONS 
The Wbidimnl, of the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition, will leave for 
the Arctic regions early this month. She will carry letters for Dr Nansen, 
on the chance of falling in with him north of Franz Josef Land. 
Prof. Y. Nielsen, of the University of Christiania, states that at the 
last moment Dr Nansen contemplated a change in his route. It was to 
follow the sea of Kara along the east Coast of Nova Zembla and reach 
Franz Josef Land to the north of the 80th parallel, whence he would 
push to the north to seek polar currents. Nielsen believes that this 
course has been followed by Nansen, since he failed to call for the dogs 
and supplies collected for him at the mouth of the Olenek. 
MISCELLANEA 
Pkof. R. S. T.\rr will take a party of Cornell men to Greenland with 
Lieut. Peary this summer. The intention is to spend five or six weeks in 
studying the geology and natural history of a part of the coast north of 
Upernavik. The main object will be the study of glaciation, but the party 
will be so constituted that other subjects will receive full attention. 
A Bronze Memori.vl Bust of Commodore G. W. Melville, Engineer- 
in-Chief of the United States Navy and Chief of the Bureau of Steam 
Engineering, has been presented to the Philadelphia Commander}' of the 
Military Order of the Loyal Legion by a few of the friends and admirers 
of that distinguished engineer and arctic explorer. The bust, which is 
by Ellicott, is pronounced an excellent likeness. 
Albert Perry Brigii.\m has recently published a noteworthy article 
entitled “The New Geography” {Popular Science Monthly, April, 189()), in 
which some of the characteristics of scientific geography are appreciatively 
set forth. The geography of past generations related to earth-forms treated 
as changeless units; the geography of the present generation treats of 
earth-forms as landmarks in teri’estrial evolution, and leads to the con- 
sideration of growth and decay, cause and effect, process and product, 
and finally of the agencies of earth-making; the old geography was mere 
description of dead forms, the new geographic description extends to his- 
tory and cause. The contributions of Powell, Gilbert, Dutton, McGee, 
Davis, and other American students of the new science are recognized, 
Superintendent Powell’s activity in disseminating sound method is com- 
mended, and the activity of the National Geographic Society in discovery 
and in inculcating modern ideas is noticed. The article is of interest as 
an indication of progress in the development and diffusion of scientific 
geography, and its appearance in a journal not given to the recognition 
of modern earth science is especially welcome. 
