MISCELLANY. 



109 



chalcedony are remarkably fine. A few 

 of these are made of obsidian, which must 

 have been brought from Mexico. Articles 

 of mica are there also, which must have 

 been imported from a distance. The orna- 

 ments of the mound-builders are well rep- 

 resented, and include a variety of forms, all 

 cut out of a blue Silurian slate-rock. Pipes 

 of both the "modern Indians and of the 

 mound-builders are shown, the latter al- 

 ways carved in the form of some animal. 

 One case contains a lot of awls, needles, 

 and arrow-points, of bone and bear's teeth, 

 upon which rude carvings are executed. 

 There are also several human skulls in good 

 condition. There are numerous photographs 

 and maps of the enormous structures erect- 

 ed by the mound-builders throughout the 

 Ohio Valley and northward. 



Winter Fauna of Mount Marcy. While 

 engaged last winter on the survey of the 

 Adirondack region, Mr. Verplanck Colvin 

 made some observations upon the winter 

 fauna of Mount Marcy, and has since read a 

 paper on that subject before the Albany 

 Institute. Among the most important of 

 the animals whose footprints were found in 

 the snow was the panther {Felis concolor). 

 Rabbit-tracks which accompanied the pan- 

 ther's trail indicated that the " mountain 

 lion " had been in pursuit of small game. 

 Next in importance to the panther in the 

 list of species, the trails of which were ob- 

 served, was the Canada lynx ; this animal, 

 too, had been rabbit-hunting. The foot- 

 prints of the black cat {Mustela Canadensis) 

 were frequently met with, associated with 

 the tracks of rabbits and even of mice 

 The sable {Mustela martes) is abundant in 

 the forests on the sides of Mount Marcy. 

 Tracks of the ermine (Putorius novebora- 

 censis) were recognized in one place, but 

 the animal does not seem to be common. 

 The rabbit, or, more properly, the white or 

 varying hare {Lepus americanvs), is so abun- 

 dant as to bear the inroads of its many 

 foes without apparent diminution. The 

 common red squirrel {Sciurus hiulsonius) 

 was found at an altitude of about 4,00o 

 feet ; it feeds here on the seeds of the blark 

 spruce. On the slopes of the mountain, 

 at all elevations not exceeding 4,000 feet, 

 were seen the tracks of deer - mice, and 



occasionally the minuter trail of a small 

 shrew. Of birds three varieties had left 

 their footprints in the snow the raven, the 

 ruffled grouse, and the snow-bird. During a 

 thaw in October a small moth was captured 

 on the summit of the mountain ; it has 

 been recognized as belonging to a species 

 abundant in Alaska. During the same thaw 

 a beetle was found upon the very summit 

 of the peak. 



Eucalypti as Timber-Trees. There are 

 in Australia a number of species of gum- 

 trees, or Eucalypti, the best known being 

 the Eucalyptus globulus, or blue gum. As 

 timber-trees their properties differ widely. 

 The tewart, a variety of the white gum- 

 tree, is of straight growth and noble di- 

 mensions. The wood is yellowish, hard, 

 heavy, and strong, with a grain- so twisted 

 and curled that it is difficult to cleave or 

 work it. This wood is very durable. The 

 wood of the jarrah {Eucalyptus rnargi- 

 nata) is much used for telegraph-posts and 

 railroad-ties. It defies the white ant and 

 teredo, and is practically unaffected by time, 

 weather, or water. The kari {Eucalyptus 

 diversicolor) is a magnificent tree, but the 

 timber is subject to "star-shake." The 

 iron-bark {Eucalyptus resinifera) produces 

 timber that is very hard, heavy, and strong. 

 It is very difficult to work. The wood of 

 the blue gum is of a pale straw-color, hard, 

 heavy, but only moderately strong. It is a 

 durable wood, but its value is much dis- 

 counted by its tendency to split. The 

 stringy-bark [Eucalyptus gigantea) is a lofty 

 tree; the wood is brown, hard, heavy, and 

 strong. It is used for all kinds of work. 



Concrete Construction. One of the most 

 interesting features of last years Interna- 

 tional Exhibition, at London, was the show 

 of buildings of concrete in course of erec- 

 tion. One exhibitor showed a building, the 

 material of which was concrete, faced with 

 tile and terra-cotta mouldings. In this case 

 the tiles are arranged in a supporting frame 

 in their proper position, and concrete is then 

 filled in behind. The cost is stated to be 

 about the same as the best brickwork. As 

 regards the strength of concrete construc- 

 tions, Mr. YV. C. Homersham, C. E., states 

 that the staging necessary for carrying a 



