124 



Sierra Club Bulletm. 



to the doubter the reasons for its matchless healthfulness and charm 

 are demonstrated by statistical tables and charts. But apart from the 

 value of its accurate scientific information the book has decided merit. 

 It is attractively printed and bound, and the photographic plates, 

 mostly of cloud subjects, are excellent. M. R. P. 



^The Secret of From a famine in Palestine in the days of the 

 THE Big Trees."* Prophet Elijah to the forests of the Sierra Nevada 

 to-day is a far cry, says Mr. Ellsworth Huntington 

 in his recent paper entitled "The Secret of the Big Trees."* Neverthe- 

 less a connecting link between these widely separated epochs exists in 

 our big trees. His studies show that the rings of growth in the sequoias 

 indicate that in general the same sequence of climatic changes took 

 place in California and Asia Minor. As the history of climatic changes 

 seems to bear a close relationship to the history of civilization and the 

 movement of races, Mr. Huntington's research opens up questions of 

 very far-reaching import. The paper is intensely interesting and has 

 many fine illustrations. M. R. P. 



"To THE Apex The May, 1913, issue of the Outing Magazine 

 OF the SELKiRKS."t coutaius an interesting paper by Howard Palmer, 

 Secretary of the American Alpine Club, on the 

 first ascent of Mt. Sir Sandford, the "Apex of the Selkirks."t Situ- 

 ated in the little known region included within the Big Bend of the 

 Columbia River, and so remote that it "compels its assailants to trans- 

 port their equipment on human shoulders for the better part of a 

 week as a prelimmary to the attack proper." Sir Sandford had with- 

 stood the attempts of sixteen climbers and their guides, "a record 

 believed to be without parallel in the annals of Canadian moun- 

 taineering." The story of its conquest, though modestly told, plainly 

 reveals the difficulties and dangers that were at last successfully over- 

 come. M. R. P. 



"The Canadian The 1912 issue of the "Canadian Alpine Journal"! 

 Alpine Journal."^ contains many papers of interest. The Alpine 

 Club's expedition in 1911 to Yellowhead Pass 

 and the Mt. Robson region is the subject of the leading article. Three 

 scientific papers on the mammals, birds and plants of this region, con- 

 tributed by scientists sent to join the party by the Smithsonian In- 

 stitute, are issued as a special number. Both volumes are splendidly 

 illustrated with photographs and maps. M. R. P. 



* The Secret of the Big Trees. By Ellsworth Huntington. Government Print- 

 ing Office, Washington, D. C. 191 3. This publication may be purchased from the 

 Superintendent of Public Documents, Washington, D. C, for 5 cents. 



t To the Apex of the Selkirks. By Howard Palmer, F. R. G. S. Outing MagO' 

 sine. May, 1913. Price, 25 cents. 



% The Canadian Alpine Journal. Published by the Alpine Club of Canada. 1912. 

 Vol. IV. Price, $1.00. 



The Canadian Alpine Journal, 1912. Special number. Price, $1.00. 



