Trans. N. V. Ac. Sci. 82 April 7, 



etc. There were even several arrow-heads figured by Boucher 

 DE Perthes among his first finds in the first volume of the "An- 

 tiquites Celtiques et Ant6diluviennes," 1849, Plates XXIX. and 

 XXX., described in Chapter XIX. The form of the arrow-heads was 

 sometimes that of simple, rude flakes, slender and wedge-pointed, 

 but a more characteristic and unmistakable variety, represented 

 by the specimens exhibited, was heart-shaped, i.e., triangular, 

 with a basal indentation or nick. The evidence M, de Perthes 

 had brought forward, and fully illustrated in all the volumes of his 

 work, of the discovery of rudely formed Palfeolithic knives, awls, 

 augers, hammers, saws, etc., had been fully confirmed by later 

 examination of the oldest gravels. In the valley of the Somme, 

 at least, the Palaeolithic inhabitant was far more than a " savage 

 hunter," and found in the flint a material easily chipped into many 

 useful forms beside that of a " rude axe of roughly chipped stone." 



The President remarked on the beautiful arrow-heads of obsid- 

 ian, which had been used by the native tribes in the Western 

 territories, and which he had especially admired in a tribe in Ore- 

 gon. He also called attention to an article in the same number 

 of the American Antiquarian, on the subject of recent explora- 

 tions in Assyria, which had given us very important additions to 

 our knowledge of the ancient civilization of that valley. 



A paper was then read by Mr. William L. Elseffer, C. E., on 

 the subject of the 



hydraulics of the MISSISSIPPI FROM CAIRO TO THE GULF. 



DISCUSSION. 



The President observed that the question was one which affected 

 the larger portion of the United States. He had made a journey last 

 winter with a portion of the Commission on the Mississippi River Im- 

 provement, and found, in conversation, that there was considerable 

 difference of opinion in the Commission and among the experts. The 

 problem was one altogether novel and untried. Without trial, by 

 actual experiment, the people will not be satisfied. Major Powell, of 

 the Geological Survey, had proposed to meet the evil of the inunda- 

 tions at the sources of the river, by diverting the surplus water of the 

 upper tributaries, on the west slope of the Mississippi basin, into chan- 

 nels for irrigation of the arid plains of the central plateau of the con- 

 tinent. Such an artificial supply of water is sorely needed at the 



