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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Thibet, nor are maggots or fleas ever seen 

 there ; and in Dingcham, or Thibet proper, 

 there are no bees or wasps. 



Of the mineral productions of the coun- 

 try, a form of carbonate of soda called pen, 

 borax, saltpetre, common salt, gold, and 

 arsenic, are spoken of by Dr. Campbell. 

 There are no mines of iron, silver, copper, 

 quicksilver, lead, or coal ; the latter sub- 

 stance is, however, imported from China. 



The turquoise, real or artificial, is univer- 

 sally worn in rings, necklaces, etc., and 

 large amber-like beads are a favorite orna- 

 ment, but it is uncertain whether they are 

 natural products of Thibet. The latter are 

 apparently composed of turpentine, mixed 

 with some hardening material. Numerous 

 imitations of turquoise are imported from 

 China ; and real but not valuable stones are 

 sent, via Cashmere (but from what locality 

 is not stated). The only test of a real 

 stone that is resorted to by the Thibetans is 

 to make a fowl swallow it ; if real, it will 

 pass through unchanged. 



Dr. Campbell gives some very interesting 

 information regarding the food of the Thibe- 

 tans. During the summer months they use 

 very little fresh meat. They do not like it 

 boiled, and are not partial to it raw, unless 

 it has been dried. In November there is a 

 great slaughter, and a wealthy man, who 

 has perhaps 7,000 sheep, will kill 200 at 

 this time for his year's consumption. The 

 animal after being killed is skinned and 

 gutted, and then placed on its feet in a free 

 current of air. In a couple of days it be- 

 comes quite hard, and is then ready for 

 eating. It is kept in this way for more 

 than a year without spoiling, even during 

 the rainy periods. When long exposed to 

 the wind of Thibet it becomes so dry that 

 it may be rolled into powder between the 

 hands. In this state it is mixed with water 

 and drunk, and used in various other ways. 

 The Thibetans eat animal food in endless 

 forms, and a large portion of the people 

 live on nothing else. The livers of sheep 

 and other animals are similarly dried or 

 frozen, and are much prized, but to stran- 

 gers they are very distasteful for their bit- 

 terness and hardness. The fat is dried, 

 packed in the stomachs, and then sent to 

 market or kept for home use. 



With regard to edible vegetables, it is 



stated that wheat, barley, and buckwheat, 

 sown in April or May, and irrigated, are 

 reaped in September, barley in Thibet tak- 

 ing the place of potatoes in Ireland, four- 

 fifths of the population living on it. Besides 

 these, the other crops are composed of peas, 

 turnips, and a little mustard. The grain is 

 ground in water-mills. The bread is all un- 

 leavened, and cooked on heated stoves or 

 gridirons. The sweet, pure farinaceous 

 taste of the fine flour equals the best Ameri- 

 can produce. The staple food of the coun- 

 try is champa, called suttoo in India ; it is 

 finely-ground flour of toasted barley. It is 

 much eaten without further cooking ; mixed 

 up with hot tea it is called paak, and when 

 prepared with tepid water it is known as 

 seu. If any of our readers wish to enter 

 upon " pastures new " in the breakfast de- 

 partment, they may try tookpa, which, to 

 be properly appreciated, should be taken at 

 daybreak before any matutinal ablutions. It 

 is a sort of broth made with mutton, champa, 

 dry curds, butter, salt, and turnips. 



Goats are also reared in considerable 

 flocks, but for their milk rather than their 

 flesh. The milk of yaks, cows, sheep, and 

 goats, is used alike for making dried curds 

 and the various preparations of milk used 

 by these people. Mares' milk is not used 

 in Eastern Thibet. 



Among the afflictions of the Thibetans 

 Dr. Campbell mentions groomtook, or the 

 laughing disease, which consists of vio- 

 lent fits of laughter, with excruciating pain 

 in the throat. It equally attacks men and 

 women, and often proves fatal in a few 

 days. 



Flying Reptiles of the Chalk Formations 

 in Kansas. Prof. E. D. Cope, whose indus- 

 try and genius have done great service in 

 making us familiar with the strange animal 

 forms of the reptilian age in this country, 

 describes two species of flying saurians 

 found by himself in the chalk-deposits of 

 Kansas. One of these had probably been 

 discovered previously by Prof. Marsh, of 

 New Haven, and described under a name 

 different from that given by Prof. Cope. 



These belong to a genus which com- 

 prises the largest of the pterodactyles or fly- 

 ing saurians, a class of reptiles long since 

 found in Europe, but not until recently dis- 

 covered in this country. 



