180 
POPULAR SOIEl^OE NEWS. 
[December, 1891. 
iron. Prof. A. E. Foote, of Philadelphia, recently 
read a paper announcing this discovery at the 
meeting of the American Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science. From this we learn that 
the diamonds are small hut plainly visible. They 
are the hardest variety known — the black dia- 
monds used for pointing diamond drills. A small 
white diamond was also found. 
Why has so much interest been shown in this 
discovery which has been anticipated for many 
years ? 
Because, Professor Foote claims, it confirms the 
theory advanced by Sir William Thompson twenty 
years ago, that the first germs of life were brought 
to this globe by meteors. Diamonds, like coal, 
are supposed to result from changes occurring in 
vegetable matter; and if plants existed, then 
there may have been animal life; — and so we 
may have approached one step nearer the solu- 
tion of the question to which the wisest brains 
have given so much thought for ages. 
The geological source of diamonds themselves 
has never been satisfactorily explained. Tliey are 
scattered all over the world in unexpected places 
without any apparent reason. It was suggested 
by the Washington geologists that they came 
from decomposed meteors that had been falling 
on the surface of the earth for unknown centu- 
ries, and that even the great deposits at Kimberley 
were due to enormous masses that had fallen 
there, producing curious sink holes similar to the 
"crater" on the side of which Professor Foote 
found the most of the pieces at Canon Diablo. 
We hardly suppose that this theory, supported 
even by the visible diamonds, will cause another 
excitement in Arizona. 
Professor Foote's complete paper may be found 
in the American Journal of Science and Arts for 
Xovember. 
(♦+ 
ORIGINAL OBSERVATIONS BY MEMBERS 
OF THE A. A. 
273. Sparrows Eat Peach-Blossoms. [See 
Note 262, August 1890.] — F. E. Langdon says she 
saw cherry-birds eat apple-blossoms. In the 
spring of 1889, in a garden on Clinton avenue, 
Brooklyn, I saw two sparrows each pluck off a 
peach-blossom. One flew to a limb near by and 
ate up his blossom, and then returned for another. 
Julie IIusson, Trenton, N. J. 
.s74. A Herd of Buffaloes. — Since coming 
here I have seen quite a sight for an " easterner," 
i. e., a herd of about seventy-five buffaloes. They 
are all owned by one man, and are kept in a large 
pasture. This is said to be the largest herd in the 
world. Last week ten of them were sold to an 
Englishman for $500 each. These creatures are 
quite tame; we drove into the field and they al- 
lowed us to come right up to them. — A. H. Fer- 
guson, McCook, Nebraska. 
"•1 
275. Carnivorous Cows.— 
Geological Survey of Texas, 
Special Expedition Camp No. 2; 
October 27, 1891 
While at points remote from civilization during 
the past summer, I often noticed cows eating 
bones. It was an interesting and aumsing sight. 
Today, on my return to camp, my assistant told 
me that a cow of mature years had entered camp 
during my absence and devoured two full quires 
of sixty-pound manilla wrapping-paper that were 
lying just outside the tent door. — Frank S. Ells- 
worth, Assistant Geologist, State Geological 
Survey. 
[It is sincerely to be hoped that the appetites 
of our domestic cattle will not continue to develop 
in this alarming direction. We might some day 
realize that old dream of Pharoah about the seven 
lean khie devouring seven fat ones ; and the point 
would be broken from that excellent story about 
Cuvier, whose quick wit turned the joke on a 
young man who tried to frighten him. You re- 
member this youth disguised himself as his Sa- 
tanic majesty, and leaped from the shrubbery at 
Cuvier as he was walking pensively in his garden, 
roaring out, " I'll eat you ! I'll eat you ! " Cu- 
vier surveyed him a moment critically, and re- 
marked : "H'm! Horns; hoofs; herbivorous; — 
you can't do it, sir; you can't do it!" Cuvier could 
not have retained so great composure had he been 
aware that cows can, on a pinch, feast on old 
bones and full quires of wrapping-paper. — Ed.] 
276. Where Was the Other Lizard? — Last 
spring I sent north two specimens of Phrynosoma 
plainceps. They were alive, packed in cotton in a 
box 6 in. X 3 in. X 3 in. The box was securely 
tied, and travelled about 1,300 miles. When 
opened there was but one lizard. Is it probable 
that one "Phryne" ate the other? — Frank S. 
Ellsworth, Assistant Geologist, Austin, Texas. 
THE A. A. AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 
Pittsburgh, Oct. 19, '91. 
At the latest meeting of Chapter 27, A. A., the 
members were of the unanimous opinion that the 
Association should be represented at Chicago in 
some manner in 1893. If we cannot have a special 
exhibit, we should have a place where we can 
meet our fellow-members. — Clara Bright, Sec. 
NiLES, Mich., Oct. 17, '91. 
By all means have an A. A. headquarters at the 
Columbian Exposition. The Gray Memorial Chap- 
ter is to have a reunion there ; and even if it does 
cost something, there will be payment in full in 
the pleasure of knowing that there is at least one 
place where strangers in the city can be sure of a 
welcome. — Ralph Ballard. 
Wexford, Mich., Oct. 15, '91. 
By all means let us have a room for headquar- 
ters of the A. A. at the World's Fair. Let every 
member who visits there enter his name in a reg- 
ister, with his Chapter and Chicago address dur- 
ing the fair.— M. L. Leach, Sec. Isaac Lea Memo- 
rial Chapter, A. A. 
Independence, Iowa, Oct. 24, '91. 
I was much interested in the article in the 
News in regard to an Agassiz headquarters at 
Chicago in 1893, and approve of the plan. — Mor- 
ris Sanford. 
The foregoing may suffice as samples of the 
letters received regarding our proposed headquar- 
ters at the Columbian Exposition, and, as not a 
dissenting voice has been heard, we take it to be 
the unanimous opinion that the plan should be 
carried into effect. The entire committee cannot 
be announced at once, as it will require corre- 
spondence to ascertain who can serve; but as 
soon as necessary details can be arranged, due 
notice will be given. Meanwhile we desire to 
hear from every Chapter and member interested. 
We shall be glad to receive and consider sugges- 
tions from all as to the best means for making the 
plan successful, and we shall be glad to receive 
the names of such members of the A. A. as expect 
to attend the fair. 
REPORTS FROM CHAPTERS. 
213, (Wilson Ornithological Chapter.)— At the 
present time there are twenty-one active mem- 
bers, including men of high standing in ornithol- 
ogy — H. Nehrling, Dr. Paul Leverktihn, etc. Our 
associate membership is seventy-four strong, with 
constant additions. At the last election Mr. S. 
Warren Jacobs, W^aynesburg, Penn., was chosen 
Secretary; Messrs. Frank L. Burns, Berwyn, 
Penn., John II. Sage, Portland, Conn., and C. C. 
Maxfield, Danbury, Conn., were elected as the 
Executive Committee; your servant. President. 
Special work has been done with the group Frin- 
gillidai. Mr. F. L. Burns had special charge of 
the department of oology, John H. Sage of melol- 
ogy, while I have tried to do something with mi- 
gration. Messrs. R. M. Strong and Charles A. 
Ely have called for general reports upon Fringil- 
lidce. Lately the Taxidermist has been chosen as a 
bulletin, each issue of which will contain reports 
upon the condition of the Chapter and progress 
of study, being a sort of table of contents to the 
0. and 0. Semi-Annual, in which our finished re- 
ports will appear. In short, our Chapter is rap- 
idly growing, both in membership and efficiency 
of work, with promises of flattering results in the 
near future. We are all ardent lovers of our 
study, and work together for the good of all and 
the more rapid furtherance of our favorite science. 
I am at 5 Elm street, Oberlin, Ohio, where any 
communications will reach me and be promptly 
responded to. — Yours respectfully, Lynde Jones, 
Pres. 
242, Philadelphia, Pa., [I]. — The present annual 
report of Chapter 242 is concerned with the Chap- 
ter's work from March 1, 1890, to March 1, 1891. 
The Chapter has on its roll the names of six mem- 
bers and one corresponding member. Only two 
meetings have been held during the year, of 
which the dates and scientific communications 
were : April 17, 1890, Mr. L. L. Calvert, " Basis 
of Historical Geology"; May 1, 1890, Mr. P. P. 
Calvert, "Notes on General Embryology, from 
Balfour." Since May 1, 1890, no meetings have 
been held. This is due to the fact that the (four) 
active members have their evenings so taken up 
with business and study that it has been impossi- 
ble to fix upon a date convenient to all. Not- 
withstanding this fact, however, the interest of 
those members in the study of natural history has 
not departed. One member, in connection with 
his medical studies- in the University of Pcnusyl- 
