Of the several explorers who have endeavored to solve the mysteries of the Arctic regions, none perhaps is better known than Fridtjof Nansen, a descendant of the old Vikings. He was born in Christiania, October 10, 1861, and is the son of a lawyer well known in Norwegian legal circles. After an education, which began at home, he graduated from the University of Christiania, and immediately began to exhibit those nomadic tendencies which distinguish the born explorer. His first trip to the far north was in 1882, when he made a voyage to the seas surrounding Greenland. Returning with much valuable geological and zoological data, he was appointed curator of the natural history museum at Bergen. In 1889 he took his second trip to the Arctic, when he succeeded in crossing Greenland. Subsequent thereto he was made curator of the Museum of Comparative Anatomy of Christiania university. His most memorable undertaking, however, was in 1893, when he endeavored to reach the North Pole. Although he did not accomplish his object, he succeeded in getting nearer to it than had any of his predecessors. On that occasion he spent three years in the Arctic region, and again returned laden with data which, from a scientific standpoint, was invaluable. He was next appointed professor of zoology of the Christiania university. Nansen has published several books dealing with his life work, including Esquimaux Life, Across Greenland and Farthest North. He has also written a number of articles for magazines. He married Eva Sears, who was well known in musical circles of the continent. ROBERT EDWIN PEARY.