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POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



an abnormity as a maniac or an idiot. In 

 other words, he has a dangerous disease, and 

 should be treated as a diseased member, and 

 not as a mischievous boy. His side of the 

 question, however, is of the least impor- 

 tance ; society's first duty is to itself. Indi- 

 viduals who can not live in accordance with 

 the laws which govern civilized societies 

 should be placed where they can do the 

 community no harm. On the other hand, 

 the nonprofessional criminal who, through 

 some untoward combination of circum- 

 stances, in a given instance becomes an 

 offender against the laws is in quite a dif- 

 ferent relation to the social body from the 

 hereditary criminal. The former deserves 

 punishment; the latter, treatment. Here, 

 then, besides possible wide individual differ- 

 ences, we have a well-marked class differ- 

 ence among criminals, and it is quite evident 

 that society must consider this class differ- 

 ence in devising successful corrective or 

 protective legislation. 



The Chamacocos. Since the discovery 

 by Dr. Bohls in lagoons in the Lengua terri- 

 tory, near the Paraguay River, of that rare 

 and curious fish, Lepidosiren paradoxa, in 

 large numbers, scientists have taken a spe- 

 cial interest in this region. Cavaliere Guido 

 Boggiani, an Italian artist, recently spent 

 three years near these lakes, living with two 

 of the native tribes, the Chamococos and the 

 Caduveas, where he seems to have collected 

 much material of scientific value. Henry H. 

 Giglioli, in a recent Nature, gives an account 



of the ethnological data gathered during the 

 expedition. The Chamacocos, who are espe- 

 cially known to ethnologists through their 

 singular long-handled stone axes, are nomads ; 

 they are tall, well shaped, the skin of a red- 

 dish tinge. The men have long, black hair, 

 which is worn tied in a knot behind, in a thick 

 queue, or flowing loose. The women are less 

 handsome, and wear their hair short. No 

 clothing is worn by either sex, except rough 

 sandals of peccary skin when on the tramp. 

 On festive occasions they decorate them- 

 selves with a profusion of feather orna- 

 ments, necklaces of seeds, and the rattle of 

 the crotalus, the latter of which are worn 

 in diadems, armlets, leglets, and united in 

 bunches as ear pendants. They make rude 

 pottery, but do not use the potter's wheel. 

 From Boggiani's description the Chamacocos 

 seem to be an inoffensive and happy people, 

 who relieve their exuberant spirits in fre- 

 quent festivities ; they have numerous games, 

 one of which might be described as primi- 

 tive lawn tennis. Their weapons are clubs, 

 wooden spears, large bows for shooting ar- 

 rows, and small bows with a double string 

 used for shooting clay bullets. The women 

 make neat bags and reticules of different 

 kinds of netting and also hammocks, for 

 which they use the fiber of the ybira. They 

 have some curious superstitions regarding 

 food ; thus, deer flesh is only eaten by men, 

 while women can feed on birds and small game. 

 Among the many interesting facts collected 

 by Boggiani is a small vocabulary of the 

 hitherto unknown language of these people. 



MINOE PAEAGEAPHS. 



The Bulgarians, according to the report 

 of the United States consul at Annaberg, 

 love music. They sing a great deal, at 

 home, in entertainments, and in their occu- 

 pations. The shepherds or the harvest- 

 reapers on opposite heights often sing in 

 alternation, stanza in answer to stanza. The 

 attendants and armed escorts of traveling 

 parties raise their voices in chorus, and 

 soldiers sing on the march. Musical in- 

 struments are much in use the primitive 

 native ones, and the modern inventions 

 which are taking the place of these. The 

 predominant national instrument is the gaj- 



da, or bagpipe, the melancholy and monot- 

 onous tones of which are precious to them. 

 Other instruments are the kaval, a very 

 simple wooden shepherd's pipe, producing a 

 shrill note ; the gadulka, or cigulka, an in- 

 strument of two strings, emitting melancholy 

 tones ; the gypsy fiddle, or ketnene, a superior 

 instrument ; the bulgarina, a sweet guitar with 

 four strings, which is played upon by means 

 of a goosequill ; and the drukja, or bajalma, 

 a similar guitar, played with two fingers. 

 All the instruments are manufactured by the 

 gajdari, who formerly constituted in the town 

 a special guild. 



