G. GENERAL NATURAL HISTORY AND ZOOLOGY. 239 



parrots. Proc. Royal Med. and Chir. Soc. Zondon,VI. 9 1871, 

 viii., 392. 



MODE OF COPYING ROCK INSCRIPTIONS. 



Among objects of great ethnological import are the abo- 

 riginal inscriptions or carvings upon rocks, which are met 

 with in North America and elsewhere, and are sometimes of 

 a very remarkable character. Ordinary copies of such in- 

 scriptions, unless they be photographs, are rarely of sufficient 

 accuracy to be of much value; and those of our readers who 

 are likely to come across such inscriptions may like to know 

 a method by w r hich an absolutely perfect fac-simile can be 

 madQ. This process has been applied with much success in 

 copying carvings in Egypt and other places, and it will be 

 equally serviceable in our own country. For this purpose 

 the inscription is to be first well cleaned from dust or mud by 

 means of a hard, stiff brush ; stout, unsized paper is then to 

 be wetted rapidly, but uniformly, in a tub of water, and ap- 

 plied to the inscription, and forced into the irregularities by 

 repeated and forcible strokes with a hard brush an ordinary 

 clothes-brush being as good as any for the purpose. If the 

 stone be clear of dust the paper adheres, and, when dry, falls 

 off, forming a perfect mould of the inscription. If the carv- 

 ing be deep or broad it is sometimes advisable to apply sev- 

 eral sheets of paper, one after the other, brushing over the 

 surface of one with glue or gum before applying the next, so 

 as to obtain, when dry, a firm body. By making a plaster 

 cast of the paper relief thus prepared, a fac-simile of the in- 

 scription will be obtained. 13 A, May 15, 1871, 275. 



DECOMPOSITION OF ANIMAL SUBSTANCES CONTAINING 



PHOSPHORUS. 



It has been a question whether vegetable and animal sub- 

 stances containing phosphorus give off phosphureted hydro- 

 gen when indicating putrefaction. If answered affirmative- 

 ly, it would show either that phosphorus exists in the organ- 

 ism in some other form than that of phosphoric acid, or that, 

 under the influence of putrefaction, reducing substances are 

 formed of so energetic a nature that even phosphoric acid is 

 deprived of its oxygen. It is difficult to conceive that either 

 of these things could happen. In the animal organism ener- 



