NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 369 



has been long since established. If, therefore, we leave it to others 

 to descant upon the services which he has rendered to geography 

 by publishing this narrative of his travels, it is that we may have 

 more space at command to deal with the services which he has 

 rendered to zoology by collecting in an unexplored region, and 

 submitting his collections to the critical examination of the 

 specialists who have aided him in this part of his work. 



It may be well, however, to observe en passant that one great 

 object which Mr. Whymper had in view was to throw light on 

 the long debated question whether human life can be sustained 

 at great altitudes above the level of the sea in such a manner as 

 will permit of the accomplishment of useful work, and to observe 

 the effects of low pressure by attaining the greatest possible 

 height in order to experience it. He therefore selected Chim- 

 borazo on account of its absolute elevation above the sea, and set 

 forth to encamp upon this mountain at gradually increasing 

 heights with the ultimate aim of reaching the summit. 



Obviously very great pains were taken in comparing the 

 readings of the mercurial and aneroid barometers. For the 

 determination of altitudes, the former had to be relied upon, 

 since, strange to say, seven selected aneroids taken on this ex- 

 pedition differed so materially, that even the "means" were 

 almost valueless ! The reason of this took several years to 

 discover (see vol. i. p. 221) ; but Mr. Whymper at length made 

 it out, and the results of his experiments will be found tabulated 

 in the Appendix to his first volume. 



The author's sea-route took him via Panama to Quayaquil on 

 the Pacific coast, the chief port of Ecuador, whence he proceeded 

 by river-steamer to Bodegas, and then on to Quito, the capital ; 

 the remainder of the journey having to be accomplished with 

 mules. 



Although the traveller's aim was to secure what might be 

 found of interest in the highest zones of the Andes of Ecuador, 

 he did not propose to examine zoologically the lower regions of 

 that country, and for a very good reason. The latter have often 

 been worked by professional collectors, and being easy of access, 

 may be explored with comparatively little trouble at any time. 

 The loftier and highest regions, on the other hand, had not 

 previously been examined. They are more or less difficult to 

 reach, and in consequence of the violent and rapid meteorological 



ZOOLOGIST.— OCTOBER, 3892. 2 I 



