422 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Notes on Certain Maya and Mexican 

 Manuscripts. By Cyrus Thomas. 

 Washington: Government Printing-Of- 

 fice. Pp. 64, with Plates. 



The manuscripts examined are the " Ta- 

 bleau des Bacab," a plate of the " Borgian 

 Codex," and a plate of the " Fejervary Co- 

 dex," all of which are supposed to be cal- 

 endars. The symbols of the cardinal points 

 are then considered in detail. The object 

 of the study is to deduce some clew as to 

 the connection of the Mayas with the other 

 peoples of their region. On this point the 

 author concludes: "That all the Central 

 American nations had calendars the same 

 in principle as the Mexican, is well known. 

 This of itself would indicate a common ori- 

 gin not so very remote ; but when we see 

 two contiguous or neighboring peoples mak- 

 ing use of the same conventional signs of a 

 complicated nature down even to the most 

 minute details, and that of a character not 

 comprehensible by the commonalty, we have 

 proof at least of a very intimate relation." 



Railroad Terminal Facilities for Hand- 

 ling Freights at the Port of New 

 York. By Gratz Mordecai. New 

 York : " Railroad Gazette." Pp. 68, with 

 Maps. 



Mr. Mordecai presents a detailed study 

 of the present terminal facilities of all the 

 railroads centering in New York, with de- 

 scriptions and maps, for the purpose of 

 preparing a way for the consideration of 

 how they may be improved; or how con- 

 solidated into a well-regulated and progress- 

 ive combination; and he adds suggestions 

 of some particular points in which improve- 

 ment is desirable and feasible. 



The Requisite and Qualifying Conditions 

 of Artesian Wells. By Thomas C. 

 Chamberlin. Washington: Government 

 Printing-Office. Pp. 48, with Plate. 



This is one of the papers of the United 

 States Geological Survey. While the basal 

 principles of artesian wells by which are 

 meant only those that flow at the surface 

 are simple, the real problems they present 

 are complex. Success or failure is deter- 

 mined by a combination of various condi- 

 tions rather than by the application of sim- 

 ple principles. It is the purpose of the 

 paper ;to- elucidate those conditions. 



Report of the Commissioner of Education 

 for 1883-84. Washington : Govern- 

 ment Printing-Office. Pp. 1214. 



The present report contains the usual 

 fullness of special information concerning 

 educational affairs in the United States, and 

 general reports of those of other countries, 

 down to June 30, 1884. The Commissioner 

 remarks upon the improved character of the 

 information brought to his office, and the 

 growth of closer sympathy between the of- 

 fice and those actively engaged in educa- 

 tional work. It is observed that there has 

 been no considerable improvement in meth- 

 ods or progress of education in any quarter 

 of the country during the year to which the 

 aid of the office has not been invoked. 

 Clearer views and more intelligent counsels 

 are also observable with respect to the most 

 critical problems that have been under con- 

 sideration. The total enrollment of pupils 

 in the public schools of the States and Ter- 

 ritories is 10,738,192, and in the private 

 schools, 606,51*7 ; in secondary and pre- 

 paratory schools, 271,215 ; in 236 women's 

 schools, 30,587; in 370 universities and col- 

 leges (collegiate pupils), 32,767 ; in 255 

 normal schools, 60,063 ; in 221 business 

 colleges, 44,074 ; in 354 Kindergartens, 17,- 

 002 ; in 92 schools of science, 14,769 ; in 

 146 theological schools, 5,290 ; in 47 law- 

 schools, 2,686 ; in 145 schools of medicine, 

 dentistry, and pharmacy, 15,300 ; in 31 

 training-schools for nurses, 579; in 59 

 schools for the deaf and dumb, 22,515 ; in 

 31 schools for the blind, 2,319. 



A Manual of Mechanics. By T. M. Good- 

 eve. New York : D. Appleton & Co. 

 Pp. 228. Price, $1. 



This manual is designed to be an ele- 

 mentary text-book for students of applied 

 mathematics. It consists of clear, con- 

 densed statements of the principles and 

 problems of mechanical science. Element- 

 ary principles and definitions are given in 

 an introductory chapter. The chapters that 

 follow treat of "The Parallelogram of 

 Forces " ; " The Lever, Parallel Forces, and 

 Couples " ; " The Center of Gravity " ; " The 

 Conversion of Motion " ; " The Principle of 

 Work Friction " ; "Simple Machines"; 

 "The Laws of Falling Bodies Energy, Mo- 

 tion in a Circle, the Pendulum " ; " Ele- 



