73 6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



edge of the wind and ocean currents of the globe, and the mysterious 

 laws of terrestrial magnetism. 



It was with the object of stimulating geographical inquiry that the 

 first geographical society was formed in Great Britain forty-three years 

 ago. There are now thirty-three similar societies over the globe, viz., in 

 England, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Hungary, 

 Russia, India, United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Buenos Ayres. These 

 more or less influence public opinion, governments, and wealthy indi- 

 viduals, willing to aid exploration, and the expeditions of the year 

 have been unusually numerous. Never has there been such zeal as 

 during the last quarter of a century, from their associated efforts. It is 

 only very large and wealthy societies, like those of London and St. 

 Petersburg, however, which can engage in distant and expensive ex- 

 plorations, but all can aid in pointing out suitable fields for explora- 

 tion, and impressing on the age the necessity and value of it. 



In reviewing the geographical work of the world during the year, 

 President Daly commenced with the Coast Survey, which Humboldt 

 in 1851 said would hereafter be our great scientific monument. The 

 valuable practical land operations of the Engineer Corps, IT. S. A. ; the 

 labors of the Hydrographic Office at Washington ; the United States 

 Geological and Geographical Survey of the Western Territories ; the 

 Yellowstone Expedition under General Stanley, and the less military 

 one under Captain Jones, with their valuable scientific results — were 

 in turn treated in detail ; after which the president reviewed Lieuten- 

 ant Wheeler's exploration of the White Mountains of Arizona. The 

 Yale College Expedition, instituted by Prof. Marsh, to explore be- 

 tween Salt Lake City and the Colorado River, gave us five tons of 

 fossil and other collections. The explorers received great attention 

 from the Mormons, owing to the discovery of fossil remains of various 

 species of horses. Certain events are related in the Book of Mormon 

 as occurring in the prehistoric period of America, in which horses are 

 mentioned. According to the Spanish historians, horses did not exist 

 in America till introduced by their countrymen, and this statement has 

 been taken as evidence that the Book of Mormon is a fabrication. 

 The Mormons, therefore, regard Prof. Marsh's discovery of fossil 

 horses in Oregon as a proof of the inspiration of the Book of Mormon. 

 The expedition and researches of Dall, in the Aleutian Islands and 

 North Pacific, are also interesting. 



The archaeological discoveries of the year were next briefly review- 

 ed, and more fully the voyage of the Polaris by way of Smith's Sound 

 to within little more than 400 miles of the north pole. A Swedish 

 expedition was sent out, under Prof. Nordenskiold, to Parry Island ; 

 a Norwegian to the east of Spitzbergen, and an Austrian to the east 

 of Nova Zembla. The practicability of a ship-canal across the Isth- 

 mus of Darien, by way of the Atrato, has been tested by an expedi- 

 tion under Commander Selfridge, and, by Commander Lull, of an- 



