190 Scientific Intelligence. 



B.A., F.G-.S., Superintendent, Geological Survey of India. Pp. 

 230, pis. 37. Calcutta, 1907. — The three parts of this valuable 

 monograph which have thus far been issued deal comprehen- 

 sively with the geography of the Himalayas and to a less extent 

 with the geography of all the great mountains of central Asia. 

 Part I, on "The High Peaks of Asia" (46 pp., 8 pis.), by Col. 

 Burrard, gives abundant statistics as to the height and distribu- 

 tion of the 75 known peaks which exceed 24,000 feet in height. 

 From an interesting chapter upon errors in observations of 

 altitude it appears that even in the case of the most accurately 

 measured peaks the figures usually given are liable to an error of 

 from 100 to 300 feet. In part II, on "The Principal Mountain 

 Ranges of Asia," pp. 47-117, pis. 9-22, Col. Burrard describes in 

 detail the various ranges, and shows how they originate in broad 

 uplifts along axes which are generally parallel, but which often 

 bifurcate or coalesce, and less frequently meet at right angles. 

 A noteworthy chapter discusses observations with the plumb-line 

 and pendulum which indicate that a concealed mass of excep- 

 tionally heavy material lies beneath the plains of India far 

 from, but parallel to, the Himalayas and their fast-growing 

 subsidiary range, the Siwaliks. In part III, on "The Rivers of 

 Himalaya and Tibet" (pp. 118-230, pis. 23-37), the main 

 streams are classified according to both location and size. They 

 are described with the same clearness and care which are given to 

 the description of the peaks and ranges. Attention is frequently 

 called to the marked disagreement between divides and mountain 

 ranges. It is the exception for a main divide to correspond with 

 a main range. The Indus river zigzags back and forth three 

 times across the great Ladakh range. In the Hindu Kush region 

 part of the streams flow northward across the main range ; while 

 others cross it in the opposite direction flowing southward. 

 Numerous other evidences indicate the young stage of the 

 mountains and plateaus and the lack of adjustment of drainage to 

 geologic structure. Chapters on glaciers and on recent desicca- 

 tion as indicated by Tibetan lakes, complete the discussion of 

 drainage. 



The monograph as a whole is not only written in a very clear and 

 interesting style, but is most accurate in detail, and most care- 

 fully arranged to facilitate reference. Theoretical discussions 

 are not avoided, but they play a minor part and are clearly 

 distinguished from accepted facts and conclusions. A valuable 

 feature of the monograph is its clear statement, not only of our 

 knowledge but of the limits of our knowledge of the great 

 mountains of Asia. e. h. 



4. The Gases in Hocks / by R. T. Chamberlin\ Carnegie 

 Institution, Washington, 1908, 8°, 80 pp. — This paper embodies 

 the results arrived at by a critical study of the gases evolved by 

 heating 112 specimens of rocks in a vacuum. The list includes 

 all of the more important kinds of intrusive igneous rocks, lavas, 

 stratified and metamorphic rocks and a few minerals. The 



