414 Chronicles of Science. [July, 



result of an endeavour to secure a permanent place of sepulture by 

 a people in a rude and primitive state of civilization. To this con- 

 clusion Col. Lane Fox demurs, and in a very able criticism shows, 

 first, that the megalithic monimients are peculiar to certain regions, 

 as Ireland, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Normandy, the South of 

 Spain, the North of Afiica, India, &c. ; and secondly, that they 

 had many other uses besides that of marking and commemorating 

 the interment of the dead ; such as, for instance, places of assembly 

 and council meetings, of judgment, of worship (not connected with 

 the dead). Col. Fox instances the fi-equent interment in sacred 

 edifices at the present day as a case in point to prove that the 

 worship of the dead may have had no actual connection with the 

 stone circle, although the dead may be buried within its radius. 



(7.) Dr. Hooker contributes some interesting notes on Child- 

 bearing among the Aborigines in Australia and New Zealand. 



(8.) Mr. Layland's notice of the Cave-cannibaLs of South 

 Africa has too much of the " Traveller's Tales " look about it. 

 Speaking of one old savage, he says he had " a ' de^alled kidney ' or 

 ' boiled missionary ' look about him." Such remarks are harcUy in 

 accord with a scientific journal. 



Mr. J. H. Lamprey, the Assistant-secretary and Sub-editor to 

 the Society, suggests an ingenious method by which photographs 

 of natives, taken in distant countries, may be rendered of greater 

 value for purposes of comparison and study. The subject to be 

 photographed is jDlaced against a background formed by a frame of 

 wood, 7x3 feet, neatly divided by strained thi-eads of silk into 

 2-inch squares, thus giving an index-scale for the entke figure 

 easily apj^hed to any subject. 



Many minor papers, notices, and reviews are contained in this 

 number of the Journal. It starts well at least : let us hope its 

 succeeding numbers may prove equally worthy of notice. 



Anthropological Society. 



Many of the papers read before this Society, and publishol in 

 their Jom'nal, are of a metaphysical or physiological character. 



Dr. James Hunt communicates a paper " On the Character of the 

 Voice in the Nations of Asia and Afi-ica, as contrasted with that in 

 the Nations of Europe." 



Dr. John Beddoe, Pres. A.S.L., gives the result of personal 

 observations on the physical characteristics of the people of Brittany. 



Dr. Charnock, Vice-President, describes a menhir or dolmen 

 lying broken on the ground at Locmariaker, in Brittany, which, 

 when erect, must have measured 72^ feet. 



Mr. A. L. Lewis, who also describes the same place, adds an 

 account of Gavr Inis, or Goat's Island, situated in the Morbihan 



