Longnians' New Atlas. Edited by G. G. Chisholm, M.A., F.R.G.S.
(Longmans.)—This is in many ways not an ordinary atlas, and we think that its original features will win for it a wide and lasting popularity, not only in schools, for which it is primarily intended,. but also among older students, who will find it a useful book of reference. Being specially meant for the beginner, the maps, which are excellently engraved by Mr. Edward Stanford, are not overcrowded with names ; but the index contains nearly twice as many names as are shown- on the maps. One of the special characteristics of the book is that surface colouring is used not to distinguish countries, provinces, or counties, but to indicate what land (if any) is below sea-level, what less than 1,000 ft andwhat more than 1,000 ft. above sea-level ; and as regards the sea, to indicate different limits of depth. In a few cases, such as the British Isles, a further colour is used to show the land between 300 ft. and 1,000 ft. above the sea; while in some other maps heights above 5,000 ft. and 10,000 ft. are further marked by distinct colours. At first sight, the familiar map of England looks strange with irregular patches of green and brown over a background of yellow, and only after careful examination does the eye take in the separate counties, which are bounded by clear red lines. We notice that the map of France is not divided by any such red lines, but the names of the provinces are printed across the map without any indication of their boundaries, while the names or positions of the Departments are not shown at all except in the index. Four distinct stamps are used to show whether the population of a town is less than ten thousand, or exceeds ten, twenty-five, or a hundred thousand respectively, and these stamps are given to indicate the position of towns (whose names are not given) even on the special physical maps, in order to show "the precise relation of notable towns to outstanding surface features." The Atlas begins with a plate of astronomical diagrams to illustrate the seasons, eclipses, and phases of the moon ; a diagram to explain the tides might usefully have been added. This is followed by a set of sketch-maps drawn on Mercator's, conic, and other projections, some explanation of which should, we think, have been embodied in the introduction, where several of the other maps are rather fully explained. We are given numerous maps of the world, to show, respectively, land elevation and sea depths, ocean currents and rainfall, tem- perature, barometrical pressure, magnetic variation, vegeta- tion, density of population, distribution of races and religions, and areas of comparative visibility of the Aurora Borealis ! Then follow the usual maps of the several continents and chief countries ; in a few more important cases, separate maps being given to show the physical and political features. These are followed by a series of plates giving characteristic sketches of the scenery, architecture, or customs of different parts of the world, pictures of the chief useful products of the vegetable kingdom, and facial types of the various races of mankind.
These sketches are not brilliant works of art, which could perhaps hardly be expected, considering the moderate price of the Atlas ; but we think they are judiciously selected and sufficiently well executed to bring vividly to the mind of the schoolboy some of the more striking peculiarities of distant countries, thus fitly com- pleting the pictorial representation of geographical facts that an atlas should as far as possible provide.
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