120 The West American Scientist. 
ion of human skulls which are stored away in an old monastary 
in the Kedron Valley midway between Jerusalem and the Dead 
Sea, with skulls of the same race at the present day. The meas- 
urements show some significant differences. The Caucasian 
skull has, during the past thirteen centuries, increased in circum- 
ference nearly two inches, and has gained in cranial capacity chree 
and one-half inches. There has been no increase in width. The 
brain has gained in height and length—z. e., there has heen a de- 
velopment of the upper and anterior parts of the brain, the parts 
which we should expect to increase by education and civilization 
as they preside over the moral and intellectual functions. The 
lower portions of the brain, in which the lower or more selfish 
propensities are centered, and which give breadth to the head, 
have, in the march of the centuries, failed to grow as rapidly as 
the higher brain centers, hence the non-increase in the width of 
our skulls. 
Professor Palmieri anounces from the Vesuvian observatory 
that the eruptive cone of Vesuvius has fallen into its very depths, 
and that at the same time a copious stream of lava has issued 
form the north-east and has already arrived at the foot of the 
great cone. About the same time the volcanic mountain of Lipari 
made an extraordinary display. From the crater of the moun- 
tain smoke issued mixed with ashes,which was changed into very 
fine rain over the whole of the A®olian Islands. The air was 
thick and unbreathable; all the horizon was obscured by the black- 
est clouds and by ashes. The Grotto della Signora, to the west 
of Lipari, which has defied the ruin of centuries, is now destroy- 
ed, It appears that the volcano by its frequent shocks has com- 
pleted the work of demolition. 
According to the Zrdian Mail, the Madras Museum now pos- 
sesses the skeleton of the largest elephant ever killed in India. 
This elephant was the source of great terror to the inhabitants of 
South Arcot, by whom it was killed and buried. The museum 
authorities dispatched a taxidermist to the spot to exhume the 
bones and transfer them to Madras. The skeleton is exactly ten 
feet six inches in height, being eight inches higher than the high- 
est hitherto measured. 
The Swedish government has decided to send a man-of-war 
to New York to take home the body of Captain Ericsson, who 
expressed a strong desire to be buried at Langbanshyttan, in 
Vermeland, the place of his birth. In his will no directions are 
given as to the disposal of his valuable collection of models, but 
Swedish journals state that the executors will present them to the 
Smithsonian Institution. 
Dr. Eigenmann has succeeded in hatching fish eggs in thirteen 
hours—seven hours quicker than previous records. 
