426 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



shell disks, or slips strung on cords. The 

 common copper " cash " is made in imita- 

 tion of this tortoise-shell currency, and is 

 strung in a similar manner, and is used in 

 ceremonial observances, like the American 

 wampum. This form of money may origi- 

 nally have been introduced from China to 

 the tribes of the western part of the conti- 

 nent, by means of shipwrecked junks. A 

 discussion having risen as to whether wam- 

 pum was a real currency or measure of val- 

 ue, Mr. Gushing stated that it had a definite 

 value among the Zunis. Dr. Tylor said that 

 the shell-money is in use among the Mela- 

 nesians, just as other currency is in the 

 trade of civilized nations, and when lent is 

 expected to be returned, with interest ; the 

 borrower of nine strings is expected to pay 

 ten strings at the end of a month. 



Domologies between North America and 

 Europe. — Herr Valentine Ullrich has drawn 

 a comparison of the morphologies of North 

 America and Europe, for the purpose of 

 showing that these two continents, though 

 widely separated, exhibit, in their horizon- 

 tal extension and the conditions dependent 

 upon it, such points of agreement as can 

 not be found in a similar degree between 

 any other two parts of the world. He sug- 

 gests that they may therefore be regarded 

 as like two organic beings of the same spe- 

 cies ; as alike when regarded in the aggre- 

 gate, and exhibiting the differences con- 

 stituting individuality only in the details. 

 North America should be considered as a 

 sixth quarter of the globe, independent of 

 the adjoining continent, the boundary-line 

 from which is easier to draw than that sep- 

 arating Asia from Europe. The line is that 

 marked by the Rio Chicapa or Chimalapa, 

 flowing to the Gulf of Tehuantepec, and the 

 Rio Quetzocoalcos, flowing to the Gulf of 

 Campeachy, the sources of which rivers, only 

 about four miles apart, are connected by 

 the broad depression of the pass Portillo de 

 Tarifa. It is recognized that the degree of 

 civilization and intelligence which Europe 

 has attained has been promoted by its situa- 

 tion between the seas, by its easy accessi- 

 bility, by the extent of its river systems, by 

 its numerous harbors, and by its freedom 

 from impassable mountain-ranges. Similar 

 conditions in North America tend to bring 



about a similar inevitable result ; and this 

 continent, not only on account of the energy 

 of its inhabitants, but also on account of 

 the advantages of its topographical features 

 and climate, is destined to be the rival of 

 Europe. Its surprisingly quick development 

 in greatness and wealth is the result of no 

 accident, but is the consequence of favoring 

 natural conditions, without which even its 

 most enterprising population would not 

 have been able to accomplish so much. By 

 reason of those conditions, the American 

 States are promised an important future, 

 and Europe is assured against decrepitude 

 and decadence. Europe has strongly in its 

 favor the broken shape of its land masses 

 and the convenience of its seas, which serve 

 as highways to the distant countries they 

 reach in every direction. North America 

 possesses similar advantages, but in a less 

 marked degree. It is vastly more extensive 

 than Europe ; but Europe has relatively the 

 larger coast-line, and is much better pro- 

 vided with harbors. 



Against Over - pressure in Schools. — 



Commissions have been at work in several 

 of the German states investigating the con- 

 ditions of over-pressure in the schools, and 

 official action has been taken on their re- 

 ports to relieve the evil, for which physical 

 exercise has been found not to be a suffi- 

 cient counteractive. In Hesse, a limit has 

 been fixed to the amount of home-study 

 that may be imposed, and tests of progress 

 that necessitate much reviewing have been 

 forbidden. The Saxon Government has is- 

 sued decrees against excessive attention to 

 technicalities and the imposition of useless 

 exercises in the classical departments, and 

 particularly against the '■'■ cxiemporalia,^^ or 

 dictation exercises in the foreign languages, 

 which, it is said, are calculated to produce 

 in the student " a feeling of anxiety and 

 vexation instead of an agreeable conscious- 

 ness of knowledge." In Baden, the teach- 

 ing-hours and the hours for home-study 

 have been reduced, and the memorization of 

 Latin words is disapproved of. The study- 

 hours have also been reduced in Alsace- 

 Lorraine, and six hours a week of physical 

 exercise imposed. A petition, signed by 

 teachers, physicians, and others, has been 

 addressed to the Prussian Chamber of Dep- 



