Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume VIII, No. 5 [‎56v] (115/154)

514
THE MONTHLY RECORD.
published in the Swedish language, with a German abstract. Thus, as in the
memoirs of the Hungarian Geographical Society, which publishes French or
German abstracts, the subject of the papers can be at once perceived by the
scientific men of Western Europe, and a full translation can be undertaken when
the importance of the memoir seems to warrant it. Much inconvenience would be
saved, and the labours of geographers would be simplified, if other societies published
in little-understood languages would follow the same example. It would be an ex
cellent rule if every scientific paper not printed in Eoglish, French, or German were
accompanied by an abstract in one of these languages. A. Thesleff gives a
description of the sand-dunes of Eastern Finland, where they are increasing rapidly
on account of the destruction of forests. The maximum height of these dunes is
from 70 to 80 feet, and they are much less covered with vegetation than the dunes
of other countries. J. E. Rosberg describes the sand-dunes of the eastern shore of
the Gulf of Bothnia, which have been very little studied. All the dunes are found
in the neighbourhood of rapid rivers carrying much sediment, and as a rule on the
south side of the river-mouth, because of the prevailing northerly wind. They
stretch in most instances in parallel chains along the coast, with lagoons between
the ridges. The greatest height observed was about 65 feet, and the onward
movement amounted to a little over 20 feet per year. The formations were found
frequently at a considerable distance inland, up to 15 miles from the sea. The same
author gives a long memoir on the deltas of the northern part of the Gulf of
Bothnia, tracing the changes which have taken place in many of them in historic
times, and endeavouring to arrive at a theory of delta-growth on a coast which is
rapidly rising. He recognizes four main types : (1) True “ Scheeren deltas” with
widely distributed alluvium, like that of the Kyriielf; (2) partial “ Scheeren
deltas ” with numerous false deltaic islands, like the Torneelf; (3) submarine
deltas freshly upheaved to the surface, like that of the Uleelf; and (4) true sub
marine deltas not showing on the surface, like that of the Kalajoki. The memoir
is fully illustrated by plans of a large number of Finnish deltas. R. Hammarstrdm
describes with maps the depth of Lake Lappajiirvi, and R. Boldt that of Lake Lojo :
the former lake, although larger and deeper, closely resembles Derwentwater in its
bathymetrical type; the latter appears to form a deep uniform basin, surrounded by
a wide shallow rim bearing numerous islands. R. Hult deals with the distribution
of timber-trees in Finland, and R. Herlin elaborates the palmontological plant-
geography of northern Satakunda.
Ancient Topography of the Etangs de Honrtin and Lacanau— An
interesting paper by M. Dutrait has recently been published in the Bulletin of the
Bordeaux Society of Commercial Geography, on the ancient topography of the
lagoons (etangs) of Hourtin and Lacanau and the probable position of the ancient
port of Anchises, Department of Gironde. The results of the discussion are as
follows: (1) The ancient coasts of Aquitaine were cut up into gulfs. (2) These
gulfs have been obstructed and changed into lagoons, or lakes, owing to the
deposition of the sands on the coast, arising from the destruction of soil resulting
from forest clearing, and by the subsidence and erosion of a large island which
formerly lay oft the shore. (3) The lagoons of Lacanau and Hourtin, by their level,
depth, and other details of their topography, agree exactly with this general rule.
(4) The port of Anchises mentioned in 1538, in use until 1700, but which dis
appeared in 17i0, was situated on a considerable estuary, the northern outflow of
the Etang de Hourtin; the position of the mouth and the direction of the estuary
are well known. (5) The village called Anchise was built on the edge of the
marsh of Belsarieu, where the waters of the outflowing stream are lost from sight,
being buried under the dunes to the south-west of the forest of Brisquette, the