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XXXIX. Notices respecting New Books. 



Geology of Wisconsin. Survey of 1873-77. Vol. II. 8vo, 768 pp. , 

 with numerous Plates and other Illustrations ; accompanied by 

 an Atlas of Maps. Published under the Direction of the Chief 

 Geologist, by the Commissioners of Public Printing, in accordance 

 with Legislative Enactment. [Madison.] 1877. 



r PHOUGH entitled the " second," this volume of the Geological 

 -*- Survey of Wisconsin is the first in order of publication, the initial 

 or " first " volume being delayed until the Survey shall have been 

 completed and the general conclusions and economical applications 

 required by the law establishing the Survey to be given in vol. i. 

 shall have been arrived at. By far the greater part of the State 

 has been distributed among the Geological Surveyors ; but in this 

 volume the results of the examination of only about half of the 

 area (namely the eastern, south-central, and south-western Counties) 

 are given ; and this alone comprises more than 30,000 square 

 miles. Fourteen large topographical and geological maps illustrate 

 the region. 



The "Historical" division of this volume includes the "Annual 

 Keports of progress and results " for the years 1873 and 1874, by 

 the late Dr. I. A. Lapham, who lived to be Chief Geologist only two 

 years, and for the year 1875 by Dr. O. W.Wight, who was on duty 

 for one year. These Annual Reports had not been previously pub- 

 lished. That for 1876, by the present Chief Geologist, T. C. Cham- 

 berlin, was published ; and, together with the separate and local 

 Reports from the individual Surveyors, Assistant Geologists, Che- 

 mists, Naturalists, and Palaeontologists, it has been incorporated in 

 the elaborated chapters of the finished volume, as far as concerns 

 those portions of Wisconsin now described. 



Part II. of this volume treats of the Geology of Eastern Wis- 

 consin, more than 12,000 square miles, by T. C. Chamberlin 

 (pp. 93-405), freely illustrated with sections, plans, and maps. A 

 bibliographic list of previous observers and writers is first given ; 

 and then the Topography of the district forms Chapter I., pointing 

 out : — (1) the features due to geological agencies in Pre-Glacial, 

 Glacial, and Post-Glacial times ; (2) the valleys (especially of Eox 

 River, Rock River, and Lake Michigan), their peculiarities and 

 commercial importance ; (3) the dividing ranges ; and (4) elevations, 

 in a long alphabetical list. Chapter II., on the Hydrology, is well 

 occupied by : — (1) the Drainage, the Mississippi and St. Lawrence 

 being the great recipients ; (2) the origin and geological relations 

 of the Lakes of Eastern Wisconsin. Lake Michigan, it is pointed 

 out, " has been the theatre of powerful glacial action ; and to this 

 cause its present regular outline and great depth and breadth are 

 undoubtedly due" (p. 137). Many of the smaller lakes have been 

 similarly formed ; whilst some have been dammed up by moraines, 



