260 The American Geologist. April, i8yi 
was published in 1877; vol. iii, Goology, in 1S75, with a "supplement" 
volume in 1681 ; vol. iv, Paleontology, in 1877; vol. v, Zoology, in 1875 ; 
vol. vi, Botany, in 1878; and vol. vii, Archeology, in 1879. It is need- 
less to say that this series of scientific survey reports embraces a vast 
amount of valuable information, and of the series, vol. i stands in that 
respect, second to none of them. 
This is strictly a geographical volume — i. c. it defines the outlines of 
the topography, and illustrates it by several lithographic plates. The 
several expeditions of Capt. ( then lieutenant ) Wheeler, from 1869 to 
1879, are reported in general terms, showing that the parties engaged 
in them must have been very industrious to be enabled to construct the 
atlas sheets and to give the mass of scientific information of the country 
embodied in the former reports and maps of this survey. These de- 
scriptions are followed by eight appendixes which occupy pp. 229-765. 
These give latitude, altitude and longitude of prominent points west of 
the 100th meridian, description of the atlas sheets of the report, meth- 
ods of survey, notes on the survey and disposal of the public lands, and 
some considerations upon national government land and marine surveys. 
Appendix F contains a very valuable feature, being a " memoir upon the 
voyages, discoveries, explorations and surveys to and at the west coast 
of North America and interior of the United States west of the Missis- 
sippi river, between 1500 and 1880, including later bibliographical and 
other references to determined latitudes, longitudes, and altitudes avail- 
able for the basis of the permanent official topographic atlas of the 
United States." In this memoir are shown reproductions of some old 
maps of North America, beginning with that of Benincasa of the island 
of Antilia, in 1463. It also shows that even as late as 1722 California 
(i. e. Lower California ) was considered an island in the Pacific ocean, 
its northern portion being called "New Albion." Following this is an 
epitome of the memoir prepared by Gen. G. K. Warren, of all the ex- 
plorations in the western portion of the United States, in 1857. The 
memoir in full is found in the Pacific Railroad Reports. The volume 
closes with a more full description of all later explorations by the Gov- 
ernment west of the Mississippi river between 1857 and 1880, by Capt. 
Wheeler, being a compend of great value for all students of the pro- 
gressive discovery and development of that part of North America. 
The last appendix embraces an account of the survey itself, giving its 
organization, administration, function, history and cost. 
Elements of Geology. By Joseph LeCoxte. Revised and enlarged, 
with new plates and illustrations, pp. 640. (New York: D. Appleton 
& Co., 1891.) This third edition of a widely used text-book will be wel- 
comed by multitudes of teachers and students. Within the eight and a 
half years since its previous revision, the science has made rapid prog- 
ress, both in the accumulation of new observations, and in their theo- 
retic co-ordination. Many portions of the book have received important 
additions or have been re-written, including those which treat of the 
geologic work and history of rivers; the phenomena of earthquakes; 
