The same remark may apply to a number of the narratives included in Mr Sparks' series of American biography.

M. de Tocqueville reproaches the Americans with a total indifference to the preservation of those statepapers and documents which form the materials of history, stating that he had been allowed, in important instances, to carry off the originals as things of no value. We know not whether this censure from one whom they respect has roused their attention to the subject; but certainly, within the last twelve years, they have done much to redeem their reputation. There has been published at Washington, under the authority of congress, a collection in twenty-three folio volumes, which have afforded valuable materials for the present work. Mr Sparks has also produced, in twelve volumes, a valuable work containing the diplomatic correspondence carried on during the revolution. Historical societies formed in Massachusetts and other states have collected and published documents of great extent and value.

The narration of voyages and travels, giving an account of the present state of the world, and of the discovery of its unknown regions, has in modern times acquired an importance almost rivalling that of history, while it is in some respects more attractive. In this department the Americans have risen to considerable eminence. Even congress has been induced to take a certain concern in its promotion; though the object was principally to explore the almost unknown regions claimed as part of its territory. Thus, however, the expeditions of Lewis and Clarke to the Pacific Ocean, of Schoolcraft to the sources of the Mississippi, of Pike, Long, and James to the territory along the Rocky Mountains, have made important additions to our knowledge of the continent and indeed of the world. The gentlemen employed in these expeditions were apparently well selected; they performed their duty with energy, and have given interesting narratives of their observations. More recently other travellers, led by the desire of

knowledge to visit foreign countries, have acquired just claims to respect. Dr Robinson of New York is generally allowed to have observed the Holy Land and adjacent countries with greater accuracy, and thrown a fuller light on the locality of the memorable events there acted, than any of his numerous predecessors. On this consideration the Geographical Society of London, in 1842, presented him with their medal. Mr Stephens, by his observations on the oriental regions, and still more by his researches in Central America, narrated in an eloquent and pleasing style, has obtained a place among the most esteemed and most popular of modern travellers. Few more striking instances of courage and perseverance are on record than those displayed by Mr Catlin. Quitting the bosom of his family, he resided during several years in the tents of Indian savages, inspired with such hatred against his countrymen, that it seemed almost certain death to fall into their power. He has thus been enabled fully to paint and describe that remarkable race, which he anticipates will erelong disappear from the face of the earth. Under this head, we cannot but mention the long and wide wanderings performed by M. Audubon in collecting materials for his grand work on American ornithology. Now, indeed, that Britain has lost so many of her illustrious explorers, the Americans perhaps, as to those still surviving, may nearly rival her. There appears in what they undertake a determined and thorough-going spirit, which, when fairly turned to the laudable objects treated in this chapter, may be expected to lead to very valuable results.

The kindred branches of geographical delineation and statistics have also been pursued with industry and success. The works of Darby, Pitkin, Flint, &c., are elaborate and valuable. Government even has not been remiss in collecting such intelligence. The census of 1840 embraces many valuable particulars altogether omitted in that of Britain, which confines itself to a simple enumeration of the people.

CHAPTER V.

Geology-Botany Zoology.

SECTION 1. GEOLOGY.-Natural Divisions-Alleghany Mountains-Lines of Elevation and Depression-Primary RocksGold-Transition Rocks-Cliff Limestone - Lead-minesSalt-springs-Rock-salt- Old Red Sandstone - Mountain Limestone - Iron-mines-Coal Formation- AnthraciteBituminous Coal-Richmond Coal-field-New Red Sandstone -Ornithichnites-Oolite-Chalk Formation -Tertiary Deposits-Drift-Polished Rocks-Alluvium-Infusoria-Extinct Mammalia-Review of Changes. SECTION II. BOTANY.— Botanical Regions-Natural Families-Ranunculacea-May Apple-Papaveracea - Magnolias-Aniseed-tree- Umbelliferæ-Ginseng-Vines- Pitcher-plants — Tree-primrose — Witch Hazel-Dogwood-Cactaceae-Cruciferæ-VioletsPassion-flowers-Loblolly Bay-Maples - Buck's EyeLime-trees-Euphorbiacea-Roses-Leguminous PlantsLocust-tree-Sumach-Hornbeam-Beech-Chesnut - Oak -Birch - Mulberry- Elm-Walnut- Hickory-WillowPlane-tree-Sweet Gum-Laurel-Andromeda - Azalea. Holly-Compositæ-Golden Rod-Labiata-SolanaceæAsh-Pines -Cabbage-tree- Liliacea - Grasses - Conclusion. SECTION III. ZOOLOGY.-Birds-Vulture-Bald EagleBird of Washington-Osprey-Buzzards-Hawks-Screechowl-Virginian Owl - Chuck-Will's-Widow-Whip-poorWill-Night Hawk-Chimney-swallow-Purple MartinHumming-bird-Nuthatch-Wrens - Thrushes - Mockingbird-Fly-catcher-King Bird-Blue Jay-Crow-RavenGrakle Oriole - Rice-birds- Indigo-bird - NonpareilCarolina Parrot-Woodpecker-Cuckoo-Passenger Pigeon -Turtle-dove-Turkey-Quail-Ruffed Grouse CraneHeron-Ibis-Snipe-Woodcock-Rail-Canada GooseWidgeon-Wood-duck-Snake-bird-Gulls-Petrels - Dolchick. Reptiles-Tortoises - Cayman - Rattlesnakes

VOL. III.

N

Frogs-Salamander. Fishes-Perch-Weakfish-DrumsSheep's Head - Mackerel-Mullet-Carp-Pike—Flying

fish-Salmon-Smelt-Herring-Sturgeon-Amblyopsis.

SECTION I. GEOLOGY.

THE central portion of the North American continent included in the territory of the United States, is divided into three great regions by mountain-chains. The first of these is the Atlantic slope, including the eastern declivity of the Alleghany Mountains, and the basins drained by the rivers that flow from them to that ocean. The second is the basin of the Mississippi, or more properly of the Missouri, comprising the vast central valley watered by these rivers and their innumerable tributaries. The third region, or the Pacific slope, is enclosed between the shores of this ocean and the chain of the

Rocky Mountains, which divides it from the former. Each of these divisions, surpassing most of the European kingdoms in size, has its own peculiar features, and is distinguished by soil, climate, and natural productions. The western portion, including the Rocky Mountains, with both their declivities, is little known, and our present notice is limited to the first district, and that eastern part of the second which is already colonized.*

The most important feature in this region is the Alleghany Mountains, which, rising up on the southern

A sketch of the various works on American geology, and a list of the different surveys of the separate states (now amounting to about sixty in number, with ten or twelve thousand pages of letterpress), will be found in Hitchcock's Elem. Geol. p. 299-304, and Address to Ass. of Am. Geol. p. 6-9. A still more interesting account of its progress, by one of its earliest cultivators, Professor Silliman, is contained in his admirable address to the same association in 1842. In 1805, Dr Silliman visited Edinburgh in pursuit of science, and it is pleasing to observe his recognition of obligation to the distinguished geologists who then adorned "that focus of talent and knowledge," Professor Jameson and Dr John Murray, as followers of Werner; Sir James Hall, Professor Playfair, and Professor T. Hope, in the school of Hutton. See his Journal, vol. xlv. p. 217-250.

shore of the St Lawrence, extend along the Atlantic coast for nearly 1200 miles, retiring farther into the interior as they proceed south. This range is broken up by numerous valleys, those transverse to the ridge forming the main courses of the rivers and the general lines of communication from the coast to the interior, as in the Erie and Chesapeake canals. The general direction of these mountains is from north-east to south-west, and the chain consists of several distinct ridges, separated by longitudinal valleys. Of these parallel ranges of mountains, those north of the Hudson have nearly a north and south direction, somewhat transverse to the general chain. Farther south, the partial lines of elevation coincide with the general axis; and American geologists distinguish four ranges in passing from the coast to the interior. These are named the Eastern system, the Blue Ridge, the Appalachian, and the Alleghany systems, the culminating point being Black Mountain, in North Carolina, 6476 feet high. In the south, the chain bends round towards the Mississippi ; and the Professors Rogers distinguish nine groups, in five of which the axes are straight, whilst in the four that alternate with them they are curved. The full explanation of this remarkable system is however still wanting.

To complete this view of the American mountains, we may add, that on the opposite side of the Mississippi, the Ozark and Masserne Mountains unite with the former chain to shut in the upper valley, whose waters, gathered from a circuit of many thousand miles, here combine on their way to the Mexican Gulf. The Ozark group seems to form part of another anticlinal elevation dividing the western basin of the Mississippi from that of the Ohio, and in Canada pointed out by the watershed between Lake Huron on the one hand, and Erie and Ontario on the other. Between this range and the Alleghanies is perhaps the longest continued line of depres sion on the earth, commencing in the Gulf of St Lawrence, passing up that river, through Lakes Ontario and Erie, and thence down the valleys of the Ohio and Mis