1896.] Recent Literature. 927 
The most important result of the Nansen Arctic exploration which 
has been so far given to the public is the discovery that the ocean has 
the great depth of nearly 2000 fathoms north of Franz Joseph’s Land. 
This is the average of the oceanic depths, and the knowledge of its ex- 
tension to the point nearest the pole yet attained, is a distinct gain. It 
dispels the idea that the pole can be reached overland from the side of 
Siberia, and shows that the nearest land approach, as suggested by 
Peary, is by way of Greenland. While this discovery does not destroy 
the hypothesis that land exists near the pole, it weakensit. Thetheory 
will not become extinct- until the northern rendezvous of high arctic 
migratory birds has been discovered. The remarkable discovery of a 
territory free from glaciers and covered with vegetation in Grinnell 
Land, and along the north coast of Greenland, by the Greeley Expe- 
dition, opens up interesting possibilities, and must stimulate further 
search. American citizens have had an honorable share in these 
in the past, and it is to be hoped that they will continue to attack 
the problem until it is solved. 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
The Earth and Its Story by A. Heilprin’ fills a want long felt 
by teachers of elementary geology. It is a well illustrated little volume 
which presents “ briefly, forcibly and possibly in a more popular form 
than in most books of a similar nature, the general facts of geology.” 
It covers the field that it is intended to cover in a remarkably satisfac- 
tory manner. The facts of the science are given in sufficient detail to 
impress the student with the notion that the generalizations based upon 
them are built upon a secure foundation. Comparatively slight stress 
is laid upon these facts, the greater emphasis being placed on the gen- 
eral truths to which they lead. The book is interesting. It is well 
written ; the language is simple and the thoughts are very clearly ex- 
pressed, Only the most important conclusions of geology are men- 
tioned, and where the views expressed are not accepted by all geolo- 
gists, the author does not hesitate to mention the fact. 
A prominent feature of the book are the illustrations. These are 
mainly reproductions of photographs, many of them entirely new. A 
1 Angelo Heilprin: The Earth and Its Story, a First Book of Geology. Bos- 
ton, Silver, Burdett and Co., 1896. Pp. 267 and Plates 64. 
