440 



NATURE 



[March 8, 1894 



Eskimo of Alaska, containing all that is noteworthy about that 

 body of people. Captain Bourke thinks that the title of "shaman' 

 might be substituted with advantage for that of "medicine- 

 man ; " for this awkward compound, invented by early explorers 

 in North America, must always mislead by conveying some im- 

 plication of therapeutics. It is pointed out that medicine-men 

 are but the priests of a form of belief and practice called 

 shamanism, known in many parts of the world as a phase in 

 religious evolution. Hoddentin, the pollen of the tule, is 

 supposed by Apaches to possess mystic properties, and bags 

 niieJ vvith it are worn as amulets and used as charms. Captain 

 Bourke points out the similarity between the use of the tule 

 pollen and that of the kunque or sacred corn meal of the Zufii, 

 and dwells upon many analogues to their practices found in both 

 hemispheres. The izze-kloth is the magic cord of the Apache, 

 and Captain Bourke gives a very complete description of it. 

 He associates these cords with the quipus of the Peruvians and 

 the wampum of the north-eastern tribes of America, and dis- 

 covers analogies among nearly all the races of the earth, paying 

 special attention to the rosaries and belt cords of the Roman 

 Catholic Church. Major Powell remarks that though some 

 people will hesitate to adopt all Captain Bourke's deductions, 

 everyone will agree with his conclusions as to the necessity of 

 breaking up, by the exhibition of true science, the sorcery and 

 jugglery practices which both retard the civilisation of the tribes, 

 and shorten and destroy the lives of many individuals among 

 them. 



A J'ahrbitch has been published containing the results of ob- 

 servations made at Magdeburg Meteorological Observatory 

 during 1892, under the direction of A. W. Giiitzmacher. 



A " Bulletin des Publications Nouvelles," just issued 

 by MM. Gauthier-Villars et Fils, contains descriptions of all the 

 works published by them during the latter half of last year. 



The results of botanical studies carried on at the University 

 of Minnesota are to be reported in a serial, which will be 

 published under the title " Minnesota Botanical Studies," edited 

 by Prof. Conway M'Millan. 



Mr. John Elliot, Meteorological Reporter to the Govern- 

 ment of India, has issued the Monthly Weather Report, sum- 

 marising the chief features of the weather in India during the 

 month of September 1893. 



Messrs. W. Wesley and Son have issued a new "Natural 

 History and Scientific Book Circular," No. 121, containing the 

 titles of the works on natural history, scientific expeditions and 

 voyages, anthropology, and ethnology, that they have for sale. 



The description and discusston of the meteorological obser- 

 vations made in Belgium during last year, contributed by M. 

 A. Lancaster to the \%<^dt Anmiaire oi the Royal Observatory, 

 of Belgium, has been published separately by F. Hayez, 

 Brussels. 



A treatise entitled " Researches on Matrices and Quater- 

 nions," by Dr. T. B. van Wettum, has been published by E. 

 J. Brill, Leyden. The memoir is divided into four parts, deal- 

 ing respectively with the matrix of the second order, some 

 properties of versor-arcs, the matrix as a unit-quotient of vectors, 

 and the solution of a linear vector-equation. 



Messrs. G. Bell and Sons have just published the first 

 part of an "Analytical Geometry for Beginners," by the Rev. 

 T. G. Vyvyan. The book deals with the straight line and circle 

 in a simple manner, and should be of use as an introduction to 

 more advanced works on analytical geometry. The explanations 

 are full, and the examples are numerous and properly graded. 

 NO. I 27 I, VOL. 49] 



Mr. C. M. Irvine, writing from Fence, Lesmahagon, calls 

 attention to the excessive rainfall measured at that place during 

 last month. With a gauge four feet above the ground, the 

 total fall measured was 8-96 inches, and for this year 12 "69 

 inches. The measurements for the same months, during a 

 period of seven years (1887-1893) gave an average of 4*468 

 inches, and for the month of February 2 '020 inches. 



An uncommon work in Japanese binding, printed on Japanese 

 paper, and set up in Japanese characters, has been received. The 

 author is Mr. Tokutaro Ito, and the work contains a number of 

 papers, chiefly on botany and zoology, brought together and 

 published in commemoration of the ninetieth birthday of his 

 grandfather, Keisuke Ito. Among other subjects, the essays 

 deal with the Burmanniacecs of Japan, Oxyria digynia, Hill, 

 found in Japan, and the revision of Japanese Pedicularis. 



Messrs, Jarrold and Sons have just published a new and 

 interesting work entitled "Object Lessons in Botany from 

 Forest, Field, and Garden," by Mr. E. Snelgrove. Botany 

 rightly taught is the most pleasurable of sciences ; and the 

 guiding principle adopted by the author in the preparation of 

 his book, namely, that of using common objects for illustra- 

 tion of unknown characters and functions, not only arouses 

 interest, but must impart a large amount of sound instruction. 

 The book will be useful to teachers in elementary schools, and 

 should be a means of opening pleasant paths to their young 

 students. 



Two new volumes have recently been added to the Aide- 

 Memoire Series edited by M. Leaute, and obtainable from 

 MM. Gauthier-Villars, or G. Masson, Paris. In one of the 

 books, entitled "Gites Metalliferes," by Prof. L. de Launay, 

 the author deals chiefly with statistics relating to the production 

 and use of metals, taking the metals one by one, and giving the 

 annual consumption of each, and the sources of the ores. Mining 

 engineers and metallurgists will find the book useful. The 

 second work referred to above — " Construction des Navire," by 

 Prof. A. Croneau — contains a good course on the principles of 

 ship construction. 



The Annuaire de P Observatoire Royal de Belgique has 

 arrrived at its sixty-first year of issue. M. Folic contributes to 

 the present volume an essay on variations of latitude ; three 

 articles on the determination of the constants of mutation and 

 aberration ; and one in which the question as to the direct or 

 the retrograde movement of the instantaneous pole is dis- 

 cussed. M. Niesten writes on variations of latitude, and the 

 Perseid meteors of 1893. M. Vincent gives instructions for the 

 observation of periodic natural phenomena, and M. Lancester 

 describes the weather in Belgium during last year. The 

 Annuaire contains the usual record of astronomical discoveries, 

 meteorological observations, and statistical tables. 



Dr, a. Dodel's " Biologischer Atlas der Botanik " {Iris 

 series), published byC. Schmidt, Zurich, contains as excellent a 

 set of coloured botanical diagrams as it is possible to desire for 

 teaching purposes. The collection comprises seven large wall 

 maps, upon which sixty-seven figures of parts of Iris sibirica 

 are depicted. The figures illustrate the root, stem, leaves, 

 flowers, and fruit of the plant in an admirable manner, the 

 magnification being stated in each case, and in accuracy of de- 

 lineation and beauty of reproduction they could hardly be 

 excelled. The whole of the illustrations are from original 

 drawings contained in an unpublished monograph by Dr. 

 Dodel. 



A BULKY volume just issued, vol, viii. of the " Travanx et 

 Memoires du Bureau International des Poids et Mesures," 



