Dom 
NALORE 
[Aprit 8, 1897 
microscopic examination ; and it was figured in the Amerzcan 
Naturalist of September 1888. G. MACLOSKIE. 
Princeton University, U.S.A., March 24. 
The Affinities of ‘‘ Hesperornis.” 
In the autumn of 1870, I discovered, in the Cretaceous of 
Western Kansas, the remains of a very large swimming-bird, 
which in many respects is the most interesting member of the 
class hitherto found, living or extinct. During the following 
year, other specimens were obtained in the same region, and 
one of them—a nearly perfect skeleton—I named Hesferornis 
regalés.1 In subsequent careful researches, extending over 
several years, I secured various other specimens in fine preserva- 
tion, from the same horizon and the same general region, and 
thus was enabled to make a systematic investigation of the 
structure and affinities of the remarkable group of birds of 
which Hesferornzs is the type. The results of this and other 
researches were brought together in 1880, in an illustrated 
monograph. * 
In the concluding chapter on Hesfev 0727s, 1 discussed the 
affinities of this genus, based upon a careful study of all the 
known remains. Especial attention was devoted to the skull 
and scapular arch, which showed struthious features, and these 
were duly weighed against the more apparent characters of the 
hind limbs, that strongly resembled those of modern diving 
birds, thus suggesting a near relationship to this group, of which 
Colymbus is a type. In summing up the case, I decided in 
favour of the ostrich features, and recorded this opinion as 
follows :— 
““The struthious characters, seen in Hesferornzs, should 
probably be regarded as evidence of real affinity ; and in this 
case Hespferornzs would be essentially a carnivorous, swimming 
ostrich ” (‘* Odontornithes,” p. 114). 
This conclusion, a result of nearly ten years’ exploration and 
study, based upon a large number of very perfect specimens, 
and a comparison with many recent and extinct birds, did not 
meet with general acceptance. Various authors, who had not 
seen the original specimens, or made a special study of any 
allied forms, seem to have accepted without hesitation the strik- 
ingly adaptive characters of the posterior limbs as the key to real 
affinities, and likewise put this opinion on record. The com- 
pilers of such knowledge followed suit, and before Jong the 
Ratite affinities of Hesfevorn7zs were seldom alluded to in scientific 
literature. 
Several times I was much tempted to set the matter right, as 
far as possible, by reminding the critics that they had overlooked 
important points in the argument, and that new evidence 
brought to light, although not conclusive, tended to support my. 
original conclusion that Hesfevornzs was essentially a swimming 
ostrich, while its resemblance to modern diving birds was based 
upon adaptive characters. On reflection, however, I concluded 
that sucha statement would doubtless lead to useless discussion, 
especially on the part of those who had no new facts to offer, 
and, having myself more important work on hand, I remained 
silent, leaving to future discoveries the final decision of the 
question at issue. 
It is an interesting fact that this decision is now on record. 
A quarter of a century after the discovery of Hesferornzs, and 
a decade and a half after its biography was written in the 
‘* Odontornithes,” its true affinities, as recorded in that volume, 
are now confirmed beyond dispute. In the same region where 
the type specimen was discovered, a remarkably perfect Hes- 
perornis, with feathers in place, has been found, and these 
feathers are the typical plumage of an ostrich.* 
O. C. MARSH. 
Yale University, New Haven, Conn., March 16. 
The Antiquity of Certain Curved Knives. 
In the United States National Museum are a number of knives 
which go by the general name of ‘‘curved knives.” The 
figure here shown is from Anderson River, Mackenzie River 
district, and is an exaggerated form of the implement mentioned. 
The essential features are a blade curving upward, so that .n 
. 
lAmerican Journal of Science, yol. iiisp. 56, January; and p. 360, 
May 1872. f 
»**Odontornithes : a Monograph on the Extinct Teothed Birds of North 
America.” 4to, 34 plates, Washington. 1880. 
% Williston, Kansas University Quarterly, vol. v. p. 53, July 1206. 
NO. 1432, VOL. 55] 
cutting it is moved towards the body, and not away from it as im 
ordinary whittling; this blade is fastened to a handle which 
is grasped by the four fingers, the thumb resting ina bevel at 
the butt end. The Canadian voyager uses this knife in making 
snow-shoes, canoes, and in wood-working generally. 
Somewhat modified specimens come from Alaska, wherever 
drift wood is utilised by the natives in making household and 
other utensils, and from the Pacific Coast of North America. 
The same form is found in abundance along the eastern coast of 
Asia, as far south as further India. The ‘‘ farrier’s knife” of 
England is formed and used on the same principle. 
I am very curious to know the antiquity of this form of knife, 
and to find out the earliest date when it was introduced into. 
America. Iam not familiar with any examples from southern 
Europe, although, anciently, this pattern may have entered into 
the common mechanical life of people there. 
In connection with this knife, it is pleasant to know that, 
while a great multitude of aboriginal arts have been degraded 
by contact with the white race, wherever this knife has gone the 
savage art has been greatly improved and perfected. 
The primitive and old-fashioned snow-shoe, with a rough 
stick bent into pear-shape for the frame, the filling being of the 
coarest raw hide, must be compared with the delicately made 
frame and fine and uniform babiche of the modern snow-shoe, to 
give force to this declaration. 
I am making a collection of knives of this class, together 
with information concerning their distribution, forms and uses. 
U.S. National Museum. Oris T. Mason, 
The Function of Disease in the Struggle for 
Existence. 
Pror. A. DE QUATREFAGES (‘‘ The Human Species,” p. 
430), discussing the decline of the Polynesian Races, remarks :— 
“Two naval surgeons, MM, Bourgarel and Brulfert, have alone 
been able to throw some light upon this melancholy problem. 
The former found that tubercles were zzvarzably present in the 
lungs of bodies submitted to post-mortem examination. The 
latter tells us that all Polynesians suffer from an obstinate cough, 
and that, in eight cases out of ten, tuberculosis follows these 
bronchial catarrhs. Now, phthisis does not appear in the list of 
diseases drawn up by the old voyagers.” 
As is well known, the climate of New Mexico is extremely 
unfavourable to the development of pulmonary tubercle, and 
consequently this disease seems to have been formerly absent 
among the native Mexicans. But I have been informed that 
Mexican girls serving in houses where there are consumptive 
invalids sometimes contract phthisis, which, in this climate, must 
indicate a high degree of constitutional susceptibility. Pe 
contya, the Mexicans appear to survive small-pox more easily 
than Europeans, if not also more immune from its attacks, and 
this, doubtless, may be explained by the fact that they take no 
precautions to avoid it, and consequently allow selection by 
disease full play, as was suggested to me by Dr. Lyon, of 
Las Cruces. 
