98 Scientific Intelligence. 



tion will be necessary. The Expedition will be a memorial to 

 George Borup, the young explorer who was so keenly interested 

 in it and who was the mainspring of the original undertaking. 

 Mr. MacMillan's connection with the enterprise continues as here- 

 tofore, and he is utilizing the intervening time for the purpose 6f 

 making additional preparation for the scientific work. Subscrip- 

 tions already made are sufficient to insure the starting of the 

 Expedition a year hence, and a considerable part of the supplies 

 and equipment have been prepared and will be available at that 

 time. 



3. Expedition Antarctique Franpaise (1M3-1905) com- 

 mandeepar le Dr. Jean Charcot. Hydrographie, Physique dn 

 Globe ; par A. Matha, J. J. Bet. Pp. vi, 619; 7 plates. Paris, 

 1911 (Gauthier-Villars). (Ouvrage Publie sous les auspices du 

 Ministere de la Marine.) — Among the large number of important 

 contributions to our knowledge of the south polar regions which 

 have been made since the century opened, an important pjace 

 belongs to the work of the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-5, 

 commanded by Dr. Jean Charcot. ' This enterprise is the more 

 interesting since, with all the work accomplished by French 

 explorers in other parts of the world, the polar regions, north and 

 south, have had for them little attraction. It is noteworthy also 

 that the Charcot Expedition was organized and carried through 

 without calling upon the public resources, although the Govern- 

 ment has aided in the publication of the results. The region 

 explored was that lying to the south and southeast of Cape Horn, 

 including particularly Graham Land and the adjacent coasts. 

 The present quarto volume is devoted to the results of the Expe- 

 dition in Hydrography and Physics, presented in a series of 

 chapters by A. Matha and J. J. Rey. The former discusses the 

 hydrographie conditions in detail, the tides, the chronometers, the 

 intensity of gravity, and the density and composition of the ocean 

 water; while the latter takes up the atmospheric electricity, meteor- 

 ology and terrestrial magnetism. The numerous facts brought 

 out are particularly important when viewed in connection with 

 the results reached by the other expeditions, the investigations of 

 which were carried on at widely distant points in the south polar 

 region. 



4. Publications of the Smithsonian Institution. — The follow- 

 ing publications made under the auspices of the Smithsonian 

 Institution have been received : 



Birds of North and Middle America; by Robert Ridgway. 

 Part V. Pp. xxiii, 859 ; 33 plates. Bulletin of the U. S. 

 National Museum, No. 50. 



Asteroidea of .the North Pacific and Adjacent Waters; by 

 Walter K. Fisher. Part I. Phanerozonia and Spinulosa. 

 Pp. vi, 419 ; 122 plates. Bulletin No. 76, TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 



Report on the Progress and Condition of the U. S. National 

 Museum for the year ending June 30, 1911 ; by Richard Rath- 

 bun, Assistant Secretary, in charge of the Museum. Pp. 147. — 



