FEBRUARY 14, 1907 | 
NATURE 371 
latter being found, and it is to be hoped that an 
accurate survey may eventually be made. The scien- 
tific study of the ruins is still in its infaney, and a 
vast amount of worl remains to be done. As has 
been said, there are two distinct and antagonistic 
theories of their origin. It is eminently to be desired 
that the Rhodesian authorities will in every way 
encourage, nay, promote, further detailed excavations 
by trained men of science. Such a work would 
dound greatly to the credit of Rhodesia, and would 
be followed with the greatest interest throughout the 
scientific world. [t would imply the exploitation of 
re- 
It has been urged that the ruins have been shorn 
by Dr. Maclver of their romance. Taking the term 
romance in its strict sense, this may be true. For 
legendary uncertainty he has sought to substitute 
scientific fact. For ill-defined Semitic invaders he 
offers a native indigenous people; and King Solomon 
and the Queen of Sheba he replaces with the Mono- 
motapa. How far he is justified will be shown by 
future investigations. At least he has presented his 
case in a straightforward and lucid manner in a very 
attractive and well-illustrated book, and it does not 
appear that the problem is in any way less fascinating 
F1G. 2.—Decoration of West Side of Main Entrance, Dhlo-Dblo. 
the most valuable scientific assets of the 
Dr. Maclver makes out a strong case, but 
one of 
country. 
it is desirable to know more precisely to what group | 
of Bantu peoples 
Whence came they ? 
the buildings are assignable. 
Many of the native objects found 
are identical with those in use by the modern Kafir | 
peoples; others, on the other hand, show affinities 
with a north-western culture, and appear almost out | 
of place where found. Then 
mines themselves have hardly been examined at all 
in detail. They should yield material of importance. 
Tt is further desirable to explain more fully the in- 
dividuality of the different settlements and of the 
again, the older gold | 
| of a 
| wide 
arts of their former inhabitants, to diagnose, for | 
instance, the presence of very numerous stone 
carvings at the Umtali ruin, excavated by Captain 
E. M. Andrews, in the light of their prevailing 
absence elsewhere. 
NO, 1946, VOL. 75] 
| our 
From “ Mediaval Rhodesia 
or less worthy of accurate study for having, perhaps, 
been transferred from the province of archeology to 
that of ethnology. 
PROF. D. I. MENDELEEFFE. 
EATH has been very busy of late among the army 
of men of science, and nowhere has he been 
more active than in Russia, where within the space 
few weeks three of that country’s foremost 
chemical philosophers—Beilstein, Mendeléeff, and 
Menschutkin—all men of front rank and of a world- 
reputation, have submitted themselves to the 
strict arrest of the fell sergeant. An occurrence of 
like character and extent is almost unknown in the 
annals of science. The nearest approach to it is in 
own history, when within an interval hardly 
greater we lost Wollaston, Young, and Davy. 
