. 
slides through the mails. Where the slides are properly packed — 
1 This department is edited by Dr. R. H. Ward, Troy, N. Y. 
132 | `. General Notes. [February, 
ed in the twelve volumes of “ Proceedings,” “ Bulletin,” and 
“ Journal,” issued by the society since 1852, sufficiently attest 
the vitality of geography in the country at large.— Sir Rutherford 
Alcock’ s address before the London Geographical Society. 
GEOGRAPHICAL News.—Mr. Wetherman has published at Lima 
a valuable report on his exploration of the Peruvian tributaries of 
the Amazon, giving an account of an adventurous descent of the 
rivers Perene, Tambo, and Ucayali, in balsas, specially constructed 
for the purpose, says the Geographical Magazine. —A Dutch Arc- 
tic reconnoissance has been resolved upon by the Dutch Arctic 
Committee, which will dispatch in the next May a small sailing 
vessel of 85 tons to the Spitzberger and Barents seas. The ex- 
dition is paid for by the voluntary contributions of the whole 
people of Holland.—Herr Kiepert has lately presented to the Berlin 
Geographical Society a new map of Armenia, which embraces all 
available information and shows many additions to our previous 
knowledge of that region—Among new books are, Upper Egypt, — 
its People and its Products, by C. B. Klunzinger, M.D., with a 
prefatory notice, by Dr. George Schweinfurth (London, Blackie. 
1878); The Monuments of Upper Egypt; A Translation of the 
Itinéraire de la Haute Egypte, of Auguste Marietto Bey (Lon- 
don : Triibner, 1877). : . 
MICROSCOPY.! 
Tue Postat Cius.—During the past year this society has con- — 
tinued its operations with full numbers, and with marked interest 
on the part of its members. The varied character of the objects 
contributed, and the sociable, gossipy nature of the notes, have — 
made the boxes welcome throughout every part of the twenty- — 
seven circuits. Comparatively few slides have been broken on — 
the way or by careless handling, especially in those circuits wher 
the new style of boxes has been in use; and scarcely any annoy 
ance has been experienced except an occasional refusal of some 
postmaster to take the boxes because they contained glass. - Ev 
the difficulty in regard to the legality of mailing the slides has 
been as yet but a small and exceptional evil. The law against 
mailing glass is plain enough, the slides are unquestionably glass, _ 
and the objects are doubtless articles contained in glass; andit 
has been known from the first that to demand our rights under 
the law would be to break up the very useful practice of sending — 
ae iiie 
SE ag ee OE eee Sie ee ee ES tet Pe 
i h Pe 
a ee 
S 
In addition to the regular boxes of the club, several contribu- 
