Nov. 29, 1877] 



NATURE IJJ 



89 



water Fig. 3 is produced, but more delicate and more 

 regular than that obtained with litmus. 



Azure Blue.—lhQ aqueous and alcoholic solutions of 

 azure-blue or pearl form figures similar to those already 

 described. In acidulated water we obtain a very regular 

 spheroidal nucleus of a very dark blue, surrounded by a 

 spheroidal layer with an inferior stem (No. 6). 



Cochineal. — The aqueous solution forms in acidulated 

 water the figure No. 3, regular, like that of litmus and 

 of lake. In salt water, cochineal, not being soluble, is 

 precipitated and the phenomenon is not produced. 



Iodine.— The. alcoholic tincture of iodine forms, in 

 sugared, salt, or acidulated water, beautiful figures almost 

 identical with those of the colours of the aniline solution. 



Bichromate of Potash. — To make the experiments with 

 bichromate of potash succeed I changed the arrangement 

 of the experiment on account of the very great density of 

 the solution in comparison with the density of water. I 

 fill the vessel in the usual manner, then I place above the 

 vessel a small funnel, fitted with a capillary tube which 

 partly enters the liquid. The aqueous solution of bichro- 

 mate of potash being poured into the small funnel, flows 

 out, forming a small descending spiral, which usually is 

 arrested in the division between the more and less dense 

 parts of the liquid. In acidulated or salt water two very 

 beautiful figures are. formed resembling those of Nos. 2 

 and 5, but reversed. 



The various experiments described above have been 

 repeated several times for each colour, and I have always 

 obtained the same results. This persistence of form 

 shows that the phenomenon is regulated by a law which 

 I shall seek to discover. I believe. I may conclude from 

 these first attempts that the form of the figure depends on 

 the liquid in which the colour is dissolved, more than on 

 the colour itself. By employing other acids and other 

 salts, not such, however, as precipitate the colour, it is 

 probable that other figures would be obtained. 



TRACES OF EARLY MAN IN JAPAN 



SO much interest is felt in the origin of the Japanese, 

 that any information regarding earlier races in Japan 

 will interest the readers of Nature. 



The discovery and examination of a genuine kjockken- 

 moedding, or shell heap, enables me to give positive 

 evidences regarding a prehistoric race who occupied this 

 island. Whether autocthonous or not it would of course 

 be impossible to say. On my first ride to Tokio, in June 

 of this year, I observed, from the car window, near a 

 station called Omori, a fine section of a shell heap, which 

 was recognised as such at once, from its resemblance to 

 those I had often studied along the coast of New England. 

 On September 16, accompanied by Messrs. Matsumura, 

 Matsura, and Sasaki, three intelligent Japanese students, 

 I made an examination of it, and a few days afterwards, 

 in company with Dr. David Murray, Superintendent of 

 Public Instruction, and Mr. Vukuyo, with two coolies to 

 do the heavy digging, made an exhaustive exploration 

 of it. 



The deposit is composed of shells of various genera, 

 such as Vusus, Eburna, Turbo, Pyrula, Area, Pecten, 

 Cardium, two strongly marked species of Ostrea, and 

 curiously enough, Mya arenaria, not to be distinguished 

 from the New England form, as well as other genera. 

 These shells, so far as I know, still live in the Bay of 

 Yedo. The heap is about 200 feet wide, and varies from 

 a foot to five or six feet in thickness, with a deposit of earth 

 above, at least three feet in thickness. It is now nearly 

 half a mile from the shore of the Bay, though in accord- 

 ance with the usual position of these heaps in other parts 

 of the world, it must have been formed near the shore, 

 and this fact indicates a considerable elevation of the land 

 since the deposits were made. I may add that other 



evidences of a geological nature indicate a wide-spread 

 upheaval in past times. 



The peculiarities of the typical shell-heap, such as 

 fragments of bones, rough implements worked out of 

 horn, and pieces of pottery, are all here. The heap, 

 however, is marked by certain features which render it 

 peculiar. 



First, the immense quantity of pottery and its diversity 

 of ornamentation, some of it extremely ornate, but very 

 rude. 



Second, the absence of bone-implements, the few 

 found — eight or ten in number — being of horn, with the 

 exception of an arrow-head of diminutive proportions, 

 made of the tusk of a wild boar. All the implements are 

 very simple ; two of them are like blunt bone awls, with 

 the end very obtuse, and a constriction worked around 

 the end. Another one is made from the natural termina- 

 tion of a deer's antler. A few fragments of horn were 

 found which had been cut off at the ends. 



Third, the entire absence of flint flakes, or stone imple- 

 ments of any kind, if we except a small stone adze found 

 near the top of the heap, and made out of a soft sand- 

 stone. The frequent occurrence of isolated tusks of the 

 wild boar would seem to indicate that these teeth were 

 used for implements, and one piece of antler, having a 

 hole in the end, is worked in the form of a rude handle. 

 By far the most common bones found were those of the 

 deer and wild boar, and curiously enough Steenstrup 

 shows the same proportion in the Danish shell heaps. 

 No human bones have yet been found. 



An analysis of the red pigment found on some of the 

 pottery shows it to be cinnabar. With its removal from 

 the shore, its elevation above the level of the sea, the 

 absence of stone implements, and the great thickness of 

 the earth deposits above, we have reasons for believing 

 that the deposit is of high antiquity. 



Through the intelligent interest manifested by Mr. 

 Kato and Mr. Hamao, Director and Vice-Director of the 

 Imperial University of Tokio, every facility for a thorough 

 investigation of these deposits will be given me. 



Tokio, Japan, September 21 Edward S. Morse 



\ 



NOTES 



It is proposed to hold the next annual meeting of the Asso- 

 ciation for the Iniprovement of Geometrical Teaching (under the 

 presidency of Dr. Hirst) at University College, Gower Street, 

 on January 11, 1878, at 10.30 A.M. Four resolutions are to 

 be submitted to the Association : — i. That in the opinion of 

 this Association it is both reasonable and expedient that candi- 

 dates at all examinations in elementary geometry should be 

 required to give evidence of such ability as is necessary for the 

 solving of easy geometrical exercises ; and that the secretaries 

 of the Association be instructed to send a copy of this resolution 

 to the leading examining bodies of the country. The other 

 resolutions relate to the proposed formation of sub-committees 

 for drawing up a syllabus of (i) Solid Geometry, (2) Higher 

 Plane Geometry (Transversals, Projection, &c), (3) Geometrical 

 Conies. It may be in the recollection of our readers that the 

 report of the British Association Committee (in 1876, published 

 at the time in Nature) was highly favourable to the work of 

 this Association. 



The dissection of the Berlin gorilla was performed last week by 

 Prof. Virchow and Prof. Ilartmann in the presence of several pro- 

 minent Berlin physicians, and it was ascertained that the sudden 

 death of the animal was caused by acute inflammation of the 

 bowels, the same disease which carries off young children so 

 rapidly. The dissection explains the cause of his previous illnesses 

 and supplies valuable information with regard to the treatment of 

 anthropoidal apes. The button of a glove, iron wire, and pins 

 were found in Pongo's stomach. 



