234 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



the museum, to Mexico, accompanied by Dr. Parry, who will 

 devote himself to botany. 



Mr. Paul Schumacher has been exploring the island of 

 Santa Catalina, off the southern coast of California. He has 

 made some interesting discoveries concerning the manufact- 

 ure of large stone pots, which, until the arrival of Europe- 

 ans, or before 1650, the Indians made from steatite. He has 

 found them in all stages of manufacture, and has even dis- 

 covered the place whence they obtained the steatite. He also 

 explored their burial-places. 



Mr. Henry Gillman has been engaged in the same work in 

 the burial-mounds of Florida, but no returns have yet been 

 received. 



Dr. C. C. Abbott has continued his examinations of the 

 drift -gravel of New Jersey with most interesting results, 

 bringing to light what is deemed conclusive evidence of the 

 existence of man on this continent during the glacial epoch. 

 In gravel acknowledged by Hunt, Pumpelly, and Shaler to 

 be either of glacial or interglacial age, he has found a large 

 number of stone objects, unquestionably fashioned by arti- 

 ficial means. The discovery of implements in so many places 

 where their presence cannot be referred to mere accident 

 leaves no doubt in the minds of those who have examined 

 the evidence that the conclusion of Dr. Abbott is essentially 

 correct. 



Finally, the curator of the museum, Mr. F. W. Putnam, 

 spent a portion of last summer exploring the mounds, stone- 

 graves, and earthworks of Tennessee. He believes he has ob- 

 tained conclusive proof that the localities so frequent in the 

 West, surrounded by embankments of earth upon an exten- 

 sive scale, were sites of villages, the embankments being 

 purely protective. This is opposed to the views of Morgan, 

 Who maintains that the village houses were built upon the 

 encircling mound, and opened into the common area, where 

 vegetables were grown. As relics of the mound- builders, 

 Mr. Putnam brought home a large collection of skeletons, 

 pottery, stone implements, pipes, and various articles of shell 

 and bone. Seven perforated pearls were also found, and 

 lour copper articles. Parties are still in the field extending 

 these explorations. 



I have to mention one more expedition, which, though it 



