NOTES. 



287 



The studies of Sir J. William Dawson 

 on the Eozoic and Palaeozoic rocks of the At- 

 lantic coast of Canada have led him to a con- 

 clusion that, in the rocks from the Lawren- 

 tian to the Trias, a continuous parallelism ex- 

 ists on the two sides of the Atlantic, in min- 

 eral character and order of succession of 

 aqueous deposits ; in the occurrence of great 

 earth - movements of elevation, depression, 

 and plication, at corresponding times ; in the 

 ejection of like kinds of igneous rocks in 

 connection with like members of the aque- 

 ous series ; in the order of introduction and 

 extinction of animals and plants ; and in the 

 specific identity of animals and plants in cor- 

 responding formations. 



Prof. Williamson has reported, in the 

 British Association, concerning some speci- 

 mens of the fruiting of the Catamites of the 

 coal-measures, which he regarded as demon- 

 strating his opinion that these plants were 

 equisetiform cryptogams. 



The experiment of amalgamating the In- 

 dians with the surrounding population in 

 Canada and inducing them to adopt a settled 

 life has been most successful in Ontario, and 

 in all cases the tribes show an increase in 

 numbers. There are 124,539 Indians in the 

 Dominion, of whom 37,94-4 are in British 

 Columbia ; 26,36s in Manitoba and the North- 

 western Territory, 17,70) in Ontario, 12,465 

 in Quebec, 8,000 in Athabasca, 7,000 in the 

 Mackenzie district, 4,016 in Eastern Rupert's 

 Land, 4,000 on the arctic coasts, 2,145 in 

 Nova Scotia, 20,338 in the Peace River dis- 

 trict, 1,594 in New Brunswick, 1,000 in the 

 interior of Labrador, and 319 in Prince Ed- 

 ward Island. The Indian schools are at- 

 tended by 6,127 youth and girls, one half of 

 them being in Manitoba and the Northwest- 

 ern Territory. 



Experiments by Mr. J. B. Francis, of the 

 American Society of Civil Engineers, show 

 that under a pressure of seventy - seven 

 pounds per square inch, more than seven- 

 teen gallons of water per square foot of sur- 

 face will pass through sixteen inches of ce- 

 ment in twenty-four hours. Thick brick- 

 work laid in cement permitted a copious 

 percolation of water under pressure. 



" La Nature " has a commendatory no- 

 tice of the display of American precious 

 stones that has been arranged by Mr. George 

 F. Kunz, of tins city. It includes splendid 

 specimens of native crystallized gold from 

 California ; diamonds ; " incomparable " ru- 

 bies, including one quite exceptional in color 

 and limpidity, from Franklin, N. C. ; sap- 

 phires of rare quality, emeralds, tourmalines, 

 perfectly clear rock crystals, pcriodotites ; 

 amethysts of a deep, transparent violet; ob- 

 sidian, gadolinite, and turquoises ; also speci- 

 mens of Indian jewelry-work, in which tur- 

 quoises are used; " superb " specimens of py- 

 rites, azurite, malachite, and amber are also 

 mentioned. 



Dr. Alfredo da Luy, of Rio Janeiro, be- 

 lieves that the climate of Brazil is degener- 

 ating to Europeans, especially to persons 

 from the north. lie has noticed that Bra- 

 zilians in general are more pallid, and are 

 less vigorous and energetic, than persons 

 coming from temperate and cold climates, 

 The degeneration of the Portuguese race 

 may also be noted in Rio de Janeiro. An 

 amende condition, caused by malarious influ- 

 ences, is common among them, and, while it 

 does not kill by itself, weakens the hold on 

 life and greatly increases the infant mortal- 

 ty. The children of Portuguese and Ital- 

 ians do not seem to fare so badly as the 

 children of parents coming from more north- 

 ern countries. 



According to Dr. Macgowan, it is be- 

 lieved in India, China, and Indo-China that a 

 cobra that escapes an attack from a man will 

 eventually revenge itself upon its assailant, 

 whatever he may do or wherever he may go. 

 The Chinese believe, too, that the killer of a 

 cobra will be haunted afterward by its spirit, 

 hence the snakes are shunned rather than 

 attacked. Among the stories by which this 

 superstition is enforced, is one of a snake- 

 spirit which, entering into possession of the 

 slayer of the reptile, used its voice to curse 

 him until he was relieved by death. Stories 

 are also given of the gratitude of snakes. 

 The recently established native newspapers 

 of China are full of accounts of popular 

 superstitions, prodigies, talcs, monstrosities, 

 etc., illustrating the folk-lore of the country. 



" The Lancet" observes that it has been 

 frequently remarked that genius and insan- 

 ity are sometimes combined in the same per- 

 son or in closely connected members of the 

 same family ; but it is not easy to trace the 

 connection between those mental conditions 

 and the sinful or criminal acts that are apt 

 to be committed by persons so organized. 

 The medical profession recognizes forms of 

 affection or moral insanity in which the ca- 

 pacity to govern the emotions is in abeyance. 

 A marked feature of this phase of mental 

 disease is the absence of delusions; and 

 from that fact conflict often arises between 

 the medical and legal aspects when the ques- 

 tion of criminality has to be taken into con- 

 sideration. 



Prof. Steenstrup has given an account, to 

 the Scientific Society of Copenhagen, of the 

 results of his examination of a great mam- 

 moth deposit at Predmost, in Moravia. Dr. 

 Wankel and Prof. Maschka believe that the 

 animals were killed by man and brought to 

 the district to be eaten. Prof. Steenstrup 

 believes that they came to the place of them- 

 selves, and died from some cause with which 

 man had nothing to do. But, in maintaining 

 his position, he has to account for some of 

 the bones being split, for their bearing marks 

 of fire, and for decorative lines having been 

 scratched upon them, 



