Ueview of Recent Geological Litevatiire. 59 
Greatly in contrast with llic foref^oinji' is this excclitMit map of Ala- 
bama and its synoi)licai companion sheot. It covers Ihe whole state 
but lias no topographical contours. It is published with the well-known 
excellence of eng-raving- of Julius Hien and Company, of New York. Its 
size is about twice that of one of the Missouri sheets, and its publica- 
tion with its companion sheet probably cost about the same sum as one 
of the Missouri sheets. The great contrast to which we refer is not in 
the degree of excellence of the geological work, for they both illustrate 
the best of geological work. It is rather in the plan, the history and 
the utilitarian results achieved by the two surveys, for, after all, the 
practical good that comes to .society from such enterprises is the finjii 
arbiter which determines their existence or decrees their deatli. The 
highest flights of technical science, whether in physics or in geology are 
amenable to this arbiter, and probably more certainly so in the demo- 
cratic communities of the United States than els(!where in civilized 
countries. Dr. Smith seems to have realized this, and has moved slowly 
toward his contemplated result, making as much haste as was safe: 
every step has had its utilitarian aspect foremost, while the additions 
that he has made to science have not been few. His survey is probably 
more firmly grounded in the good will and appreciation of the intelli- 
gent citizens af Alabama than ever before. This mai) of Alabama is 
the best ever published of that state, and certainly will subserve all the 
u.ses for which such a map is wanted for many years. The Alabama 
survey has not been wrecked on eitlier of the alluring reefs of paleontol- 
ogy or toi)ography. While avoiding them both, it still has fathomed 
and outlined them both for future explorers to work out in detail. The 
Missouri survey struck the topographical reef at the outset, and has 
spent much time and money in making a detailed examination. It is 
not wrecked, but is damaged badly. If it survives the shock and 
reaches safe sailing again, it will illustrate the recuperative strength of 
geological science in the esteem of the Missouri legislature. 
X. n. w. 
The (h'oJixjii'id Ifixtorji of ILivhors. \\\ X. S. Sualkk. (Thirteenth 
An. Rej)., U. S. (Jcol. Survey, Part II, pi). U:5-209, with i)lates xxii-xlv. 
and figures 7-1') in the text.) This paper treats of the infiuence of har- 
bors on the settlement and development of the country; the diverse ge- 
ologic conditions by which the harbors have been formed, with a sys- 
tem of classification: geologic processes tending to preserve or to destroy 
them, with suggestions as to the means whereby these processes may be 
favored or hindered through the agency of man; and the special fea- 
tures of the ports on our Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and of those on the 
great Laurentiaii lakes, which are now or may become of importance to 
our foreign or domestic commerce. In the classification of harbors, 
their several genetic kinds are named delta, reentrant delta, glacial or 
fjord, mountain range, glacial moraine, lagoo!i and sand bar, sand spit, 
volcanic crater, and coral reef harbors. The work for the improvement 
of our harbors by the U. S. Engineer Cori)s, and the very accurate hy- 
