FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



715 



taut region. Time was measured and a rude 

 chronology was arranged by means of strings 

 of leather with knots of various colors, very 

 much as in Peru. This system proved so 

 convenient in dealing with the Indians that 

 it was adopted for the purpose by a governor 

 of South Carolina. At certain ceremonies 

 reeds or straws were arranged in a particu- 

 lar order, and left thus in place after the 

 ceremony, as a record of the character of the 

 performance there enacted. They were never 

 disturbed, as it was deemed a sacrilege to 

 interfere with them. Their pictograph sys- 

 tem is described as having been capable of 

 symbolizing mental qualities as well as spir- 

 itual things. The English were symbolized 

 under the figure of a swan, on account of 

 their white complexion and their power of 

 flight across the sea. Their traditional his- 

 tory was delivered in the form of long narra- 

 tives from the fathers to the children, who 

 were obliged to learn them by heart. Among 

 the Saponies fire was made by rubbing to- 

 gether two dry sticks of prepared wood, a 

 process that required about ten minutes. On 

 the occasion of any religious ceremony a new 

 fire was made from two sticks which had 

 never been used before. A strong thread 

 "was made from the fiber of a kind of " silk 

 grass," with which baskets were woven and 

 the aprons that formed the chief part of a 

 woman's dress. Spoons were made of buf- 

 falo horn, and the Indians believed that 

 these spoons would split and fall to pieces if 

 poison was put into them. It was believed 

 that venison and tui-key must never be cooked 

 together, under penalty of provoking the 

 anger of the hunting gods. 



Systematic Archseologic Work in Iowa. 



A definite plan of research upon the 

 archaeology of Iowa was formulated several 

 years ago by Prof. Frederick Starr. It em- 

 braced the preparation of a bibliography and 

 of a summary, from which those interested 

 may learn what has been done, the organiza- 

 tion of exploration in every part of the State, 

 publication of a report on such exploration 

 arid of a map showing the places where 

 relics, etc., have been found, and finally the 

 preparation of sets of illustrations and 

 models of specimens, mounds, etc., to be dis- 

 tributed to schools, colleges, and scientific 

 and historical societies within the State. 



The Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences 

 has published the bibliography and the sum- 

 mary, both prepared by Prof. Starr. The 

 latter is a brief description of the finds that 

 have been made from time to time, arranged 

 alphabetically by counties, and accompanied 

 by a number of small maps and other cuts. 

 By a wide distribution of this publication 

 through the State of Iowa it is hoped that a 

 body of helpers and coworkers may be 

 raised up to work under direction toward 

 definite ends. 



M. Tronve's Acetylene Lamp. Through 

 the accidental discovery, in the electric 

 furnace, of carbide of calcium, there has ap- 

 peared a new lighting gas, acetylene. Up to 

 this time the gas (CoHo) had been simply a 

 laboratory product, discovered by Davy in 

 1836. It was found, however, that when 

 calcium carbide, a peculiar spongy material, 

 was plunged into water, acetylene was given 

 off in abundance. It burns with a steady 

 snow-white flame of great brilliancy and high 

 candle power. M. Trouve, says La Nature, 

 has recently invented a practical lamp for 

 generating and burning acetylene. The 

 reservoir of the lamp is of glass and contains 

 a metallic box in which is placed the calcium 

 carbide. This box is connected with a stop- 

 cock, leading to a small gas burner which 

 projects from the top of the reservoir, and is 

 so arranged that as the water in the reservoir 

 is allowed to enter and act on the calcium 

 carbide, acetylene is generated and passes 

 out to the burner where it may be ignited. 

 The admission of water to the calcium car- 

 bide has to be carefully regulated, so as not 

 to cause a too rapid evolution of the gas. 

 The lamp resembles an ordinary drop light 

 in appearance, and may be made in a variety 

 of forms, lending itself readily to decorative 

 purposes. 



Ice Saws for Opening Navigation. It is 



stated in the Journal of the Society of Arts, 

 on the authority of the United States consul 

 at Ghent, that a successful ice-sawing ap- 

 paratus, by which bodies of fresh water may 

 be kept open for navigation in the winter, is 

 in use on the river Scheldt at Antwerp. It 

 consists of a strongly built boat with rounded 

 sides, carrying a small portable steam engine. 

 At the bow a movable framework which may 



