1890.] NEW YORK ACADEilT OF SCIENCES. 33 



the region ; it forms one of a range parallel to the coast, and the 

 sonorous slope faces the sea. The sand consists of ordinary 

 quartz intermingled with a few broken shells. The sound pro- 

 duced by the sliding sand Mr. Waddell likened to that of bells, 

 or rather to that made by rubbing the moistened finger on the 

 edge of a glass bowl ; not having a musical ear, he was unable 

 to recall the pitch. 



The phenomenon was known to some of the Mexicans in the 

 party, wiio narrated the following legend : Many centuries ago 

 there wasa flourishing monastery at this place, but, owing to the 

 wickedness of the monks, it was overwhelmed by drifting sand. 

 The monastery bells, however, were not involved in the fall of 

 the monks, having been blessed with due ceremony by high 

 ecclesiastics, hence the sound of these holy bells is still heard 

 at matins and vespers. The tradition resembles that of Jebel 

 Nagous, Arabia, so far as the monastery bells are concerned, 

 but is ingenious in accounting for both the underground state 

 of the priestly establishment and the survival of the music-yield- 

 ing bells. 



There are no villages in the vicinity of this sand-hill, and the 

 ranches in the arid and desolate Peninsula are widely scattered ; 

 there is no business for commercial men, no attraction for tour- 

 ists, and the region is rarely visited by scientific travellers. 



III. Additional Localities — Theories. 



Several localities of peculiar interest have been reported to 

 Dr. Julien and myself, which I desire to place on record, 

 especially as by so doing public thanks can be given to infor- 

 mants. While sonorous sand has been shown to occur on the 

 shores of fresh-water lakes, on sea-beaches, and in arid regions 

 far removed from the sea, we have had no proof until recently 

 of its occurrence on rivers. Mr. William De M, Hooper, of In- 

 dianapolis, reports observing musical sand on the east bank of 

 the river Wisconsin, about two and one-half miles above Kil- 

 bourn City, Wis. It lies in several banks near the mouth of a 

 small gulch leading into the river. The scenery of the so-called 

 Dells of the Wisconsin is very picturesque and attracts many 

 visitors. It was in company with Prof. Fifield, of New Haven, 

 and on July 13th, 1886, that this locality was noted. The river 

 was low at the time, and the dry sand loudly sonorous. 



Similar phenomena were observed on a shallow spot in the 

 Mississippi Kiver, opposite Carondelet, by Mrs. Stoltz and her 

 brother, of Waimea, in September, 1875. Being familiar with 

 the Barking Sands of Kauai, only ten miles from her home, the 

 lady collected samples from the river and exhibited them to 



