The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume XII, No. 2 [‎298v] (99/154)

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THE MONTHLY RECORD.
EUKOPE.
Caucasus-—The nineteenth volume of the Memoirs of the Caucasian branch of
the Russian Geographical Society is full of most valuable papers. The first paper,
“ The Alpine Plants of Central Caucasus,” by M. Akinfieff, is the result of seven
years’ work. Being unable at present to publish a further instalment of his ‘ Flora of
Central Caucasus ’ (KharkofF, 1894), the author now gives a list of the Alpine
plants, 270 species, which were found at altitudes of 9000 feet and more. We have
next three papers containing geographical descriptions and full statistical data
relative to the Zakataly district and the provinces of Stavropol and Terek, as also
a historical sketch of the Terek Cossacks and the towns of the Terek province.
These four papers are real mines of information, and one of them is accompanied,
moreover, by a map of the province of Stavropol (20 miles to an inch), showing the
distribution of landed property among the peasants, the Crown, the domains, and
private property. N. Vinnikoff gives next two most valuable lists of all trigono
metrically determined points in the government of Kutais (446 points) and in the
province of Terek (151 points). Their latitudes, longitudes, and altitudes are given,
as well as an alphabetical list of the same points for purposes of reference. Y.V.
Markovich contributes an interesting paper on the forests of Ichkeria (in Daghestan),
which well depicts the forests from the forestry point of view, their utilization, and
their inhabitants. Colonel Kartseff contributes a paper on the Kurds—their num
bers, their geographical distribution, their language, religion, and division into
branches, their institutions, and their present conditions. A most valuable map of
Kurdistan (33i miles to the inch), showing the distribution of the Kurds, the Sun
nites, the Kizil-bashs, and the Yezids separately, as also the Armenians and Nes-
torians, accompanies the paper. The most interesting map of this volume is
certainly a map of Trans-Caucasia on a large scale, 13 miles to an inch, showing
the division of the country into provinces, districts, cantons, and villages, as also,
in difierent colours, the religions of the population in each village. The appendix
contains a masterly paper, by N. Y. Dinnik, on the upper parts of the Urushten
and Byelaya rivers, accompanied by a map of the region, on the scale of 3^ miles
to the inch, and most valuable “Notes on Suanetia,” by Raph. Eristoff (111
pages), which deals with the common law of the Suanes, the children’s plays,
the legends, the demonology, the beliefs and superstitions, the dwellings, and so on.
On the whole, this is one of the best volumes of this remarkably good collection.
Ihe twentieth volume of the same publication again contains a work of great
value. It is occupied entirely by a first instalment of a large work by Colonel Y. Y.
Lisovskiy, “ Transcaucasia.” This first instalment contains the physico-geographical
description of the country—the mountains and plateaus; the rivers, lowlands,
lakes, seas, climate, vegetation, and animals; a sketch of the origin of the Caucasus
isthmus, and its mineral resources. An excellent map of the Caucasus, on the scale
of 27 miles to the inch, in which special attention seems to have been devoted to
orography, accompanies the very valuable work of Colonel Lisovskiy.
Limnological Studies in the Tirol.—Dr. Halbfass has lately contributed
to Globus (vol. 73, p. 216; vol. 74, p. 18) some notes on recent studies of the
lakes of the Tirol, taken chiefly from articles by G. B. Trener and E. C. Battisti
in a new Italian serial published at Trient under the name “ Tridentum.” They
relate chiefly to the lake of Terlago, which, as recently examined by the above-
mentioned authors, seems in course of extinction, the maximum depth being now
only 9-3 metres (30'5 feet), as compared with 13-8 metres (45-2 feet) recorded by