'H.eview of decent Literature. 65 
man beach. When lake Agassiz had this level its outlet was 75 feet 
above the present level of lake Traverse, in western Minnesota, or 1045 
feet above the sea, and its waters followed the present course of the 
Minnesota and united with the Mississippi river at Fort Snelling. The 
Norcross beach is 20 feet lower; the Campbell beach 50 feet still lower, 
and the Mc Cauleyville beach 15 feet still lower. These beaches ascend 
toward the north, the highest one at much greater rate than the lowest. 
Thej also ascend from west to east, since thej are traceable continu- 
ously from Minnesota into Dakota: but this ascent is low in amount, 
though diminishing in a similar ratio between the successive stages of 
the lake. Mr. Upham estimates that when this lake had its greatest ex- 
tent it was larger than lake Superior, and its depth at the international 
boundary line, at St. Vincent, Minnesota, was about 450 feet. 
Preliminary reports on the Southeastern Kentucky coal field. By A. R. 
Crandall and G. M. Hodge. (One of the publications of the New 
Geological Survey of Kentucky. Robert Clarke & Co., Cincinnati, 
authorized agents for the sale of the publications.) This is one of the 
valuable economic reports of the Kentucky survey. It is illustrated by- 
topographic maps by J. B. Hoeing, and by page-plates showing the sur- 
face contours and vegetation at numerous places. It also has 31 page- 
plates showing rock-sections covering the strata that are coal-bearing. 
The geological description gives a general account of the Pound Gap 
region, of the counties of Letcher, Harlan, Leslie, Perry and Breathitt, of 
the Lower North Fork, the Middle and the South Forks of Kentucky 
river, with notes on Wolfe and Clay counties. It gives the analysis of 
numerous Kentucky coals by Dr. R. Peter. 
Annual report of the geological survey of Arhansasfor i88j. By John C. 
Branner, State geologist. This is purely an administrative report of 
15 pages, but it lays out the ground-work from which in the future may 
be expected very valuable scientific results. 
In the Atnerican Magazine for December is an illustrated popular 
article by Mr. Z. L. White, on " natural gas at Findlay." This article is 
a curiosity of its kind. It illustrates the greed with which reporters and 
professional writers seize on half-truths, and by the aid of illustration and 
a lively imagination, construct magizine articles which read well and 
entertain the subscriber, who may not be able, or who may not care to 
take the trouble, to verify the statements made. This light entertain- 
ment is harmless so long as the writer adheres to the truth, but so soon 
as his poetic imagination transgresses the requirements of known his- 
toric and scientific verity, the diversion becomes nauseating and harmful. 
To illustrate these remarks it is only necessary to call attention to the 
fact that many citizens of Findlay, besides Dr. Oesterlin, the "expert 
geologist and mineralogist," knew of the gas escaping from the crevice.s 
of the rocks in the valley of Blanchard creek and through the soil about 
Findlay, and some of' them devised methods of using it for economic 
purposes; that the gas that escapes from the wells at Findlay is not sul- 
phureted, but carbureted hydrogen; that when the report on Hancock 
