244 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Sixth Annual Report of the Geological 

 Survey of Indiana. By E. T. Cox. In- 

 dianapolis, 1875. Pp. 287. 



In this volume we have the results of 

 the detailed survey of five counties, viz., 

 Jefferson, Scott, Jackson, Brown, and Mor- 

 gan, as also of special researches in other 

 parts of the State. In a former number 

 of the Monthly we gave the result of 

 one of these special researches, viz., the 

 discovery of a considerable bed of white 

 porcelain clay, in Lawrence County. An- 

 other inquiry prosecuted by the State sur- 

 veyors during the year 1874 had reference 

 to the archaeology of Indiana : attention was 

 directed to collecting stone implements and 

 other relics of the mound-builders, and to 

 the mapping of tumuli and walled or for- 

 tified prehistoric village-sites. Only a small 

 portion of the State has been as yet ex- 

 amined, with a view to researches of this 

 kind, yet the results attained are highly 

 gratifying. The volume before us gives a 

 detailed description of some very remark- 

 able monuments of the mound-builders. 

 One of these, built on a high bluff which 

 overlooks the Ohio River, consists of two 

 circular piles of stone with neck-like pro- 

 longations lying in opposite directions ; 

 greatest diameter, twenty-two feet ; length, 

 forty feet. The mounds are built of stones 

 piled up regularly and lapped so as to break 

 joints, but without mortar. Another curious 

 monument is an earthwork, circular in shape, 

 six hundred yards in circumference, ten or 

 twelve feet wide, and at present fifteen to 

 twenty inches above the general surface. 

 There is a gap six to eight feet wide in the 

 northeast part of this circular wall. Four 

 or five other mounds are described in the 

 work. 



In the chapters devoted to the several 

 counties, the economic geology of each re- 

 ceives due attention. The principal min- 

 erals of economic value found in Jackson 

 County are building-stone, brick-clay, and 

 ochre. In Brown County gold is found in 

 the bed or on the bars of all the brooks 

 that flow into Bean Blossom Creek from 

 Indian Creek Ridge. Fine dust and minute 

 scales may be found in the county wherever 

 black sand and small pebbles indicate for- 

 mer currents of ice-water. The metal is of 

 unusual purity, but the total product of 



gold in the county has not exceeded ten 

 thousand dollars. There are numerous 

 quarries of valuable building-stone in the 

 county. The manganiferous iron-stone of 

 Scott County yields an excellent quality of 

 mill and foundery iron. There are as many 

 as thirteen distinct seams of the ore, rang- 

 ing from three inches to one foot or more in 

 thickness, in a vertical space of twenty feet. 

 Beyond brick-clay and building-stone, Jef- 

 ferson County possesses no minerals of any 

 considerable economic importance. 



The volume contains a " Synopsis of the 

 Fishes of Indiana," by D. S. Jordan, M. D., 

 and a " Partial List of the Flora of Jeffer- 

 son County," by John M. Coulter. 



Scripture Speculations ; with an Introduc- 

 tion on the Creation, Stars, Earth, Primi- 

 tive Man, Judaism, etc. By Halsey R. 

 Stevens. Newburg : The Author. For 

 sale by C. P. Somerby, New York. Pp. 

 419. Price, $2.00. 



This work may t)e called a running com- 

 mentary on the text of the Scriptures. The 

 author has no hesitation in expressing his 

 opinions, l)ut yet be does not transgress the 

 limits of just criticism. He has no preju- 

 dices against the " sacred books," but he is 

 unwilling that they should be reverenced 

 without discrimination. " Faith," says he, 

 " is excellent if founded on a noble life. . . 

 We have no intention of setting at naught 

 infinite wisdom or of treating eternal things 

 with irreverence. The manly course for all 

 writers is to say what they think just and 

 true, and leave the event to God. Keeping 

 back truth is a sin." 



First Book IN Arithmetic. Pp.154. Price, 

 50 cents. Also, The Complete Arith- 

 metic, Oral and Written. Pp. 498. 

 Price, $1.40. By Daniel W. Fish, A. M. 

 New York : Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor 

 &Co. 



Algebraic Problems. By Joseph Fick- 

 LIN, Ph. D. (same publishers). Pp. 184. 

 Price, $1.50. 



These books belong to the series known 

 as " Robinson's Shorter Course." In paper, 

 print, and binding, they are very attractive. 

 The " First Book in Arithmetic " abounds 

 in pictures, which are employed not so much 

 for the purpose of embellishment, as in or- 

 der to make plain to the infant mind the 

 problems and operations set before it. " The 



