----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Hello all, I catalog maps but I do not have any backgroud in geography. I've come across a longitude notation that has me stumped and I was hoping some wise person from the list could help. I'm doing original cataloging on a French map of the Mississippi River Valley area from about 1748. The latitude notation makes sense but the range of longitudes shown is 280 - 299 with no indication of east or west or a prime meridian. I've hunted for an answer in several map reference works and works on the history of cartography but to no avail. Could someone more knowledgeable than I please explain what is going on here? I would be eternally grateful for an answer. Thanks for the eyeball time. Sheila Torres-Blank : Media and Special Projects Cataloger Wichita State University Libraries : [log in to unmask]