tions of Mars! It is claimed that Chinese
records go back to a still more remote date.

Since the discovery of the telescope our knowledge of Mars has gradually
extended, and its general surface configuration is now well known to all
students of the planet.

[Illustration: _From a Globe made by M. Wicks_ Plate XIII

MARS. MAP VI

"Syrtis Major" is seen on the extreme left just below the Equator.
"Sabaeus Sinus" is again in view just to the right of the centre, thus
this map completes the circuit of the Globe of Mars.]

The polar snow-caps were early depicted on drawings, also some of the
dark areas; especially the striking one which has been known as the
Kaiser Sea and the Hour Glass Sea, but is now usually termed Syrtis
Major. It has an outline somewhat resembling that of India; and, if we
include the southern portion, it is nearly as large in area.

Our maps of Mars are now practically uniform as regards the naming of
the places marked upon them. Formerly this was not so, as each country
had its own map and the places marked thereon were named after different
astronomers, and usually after those belonging to the country in which
the map was prepared. Much confusion arose from this practice, because
the same spot on Mars might have a different name on each map; thus it
was difficult to identify any particular spot when only the name was
known.

Some international jealousy also arose owing to the patriotic desire of
observers to identify particular spots upon Mars with the names of the
great men of their own country.

To remove this cause of friction and misunderstanding a system has now
been almost generally adopted of giving classical names to Martian
markings. Some of these are of portentous length and strange spelling,
but still the adoption of a uniform nomenclature has been a great
convenience to observers and others who have occasion to use or refer to
the maps.

On looking at a complete chart of the planet it will be seen that the
largest area of dark patches (which are believed to be areas capable of
supporting life) is situated in the southern hemisphere, and that
several of these are wedge-shaped, with the points trending northward.
On the earth it is just the opposite, the largest area of land being in
the northern hemisphere, and the wedge-shaped masses trend southward.

Our earth's surface comprises an area of about 193,000,000 square miles,
of which some 143,000,000 square miles are water, and