116 
NATURE 
| une 8, 1871 

Their weapons are spears, bows aud arrows, and occasionally 
guns, the latter being rude copies from the Portuguese article. 
Mr. Hamilton was well received by the chief, who told him that 
he was the first white man that had seen the tribe at home. The 
men and women of the Quissama are addicted to hunting ; they 
are virtuous, practice monogamy, marry young, and are very 
prolific. The men largely preponderate in numbers over the 
women, the result, it is supposed, of infanticide, but of that 
practice Mr. Hamilton had seen no evidence. The Quissama 
believe in the existence of a Supreme Being. —A paper was read 
by Lieut. George C. Musters, R.N., on the races of Pata- 
gonia inhabiting the country between the Cordillera and the 
Atlantic, which the author had traversed during the years 1869 
and 1870. The Patagonians consist of three races distinctly 
differing in language and physique, and partially differing in re- 
ligion and manners, Tehuelches or Patagonians, Pampas, and 
Manzaneros, the latter beingan offshoot ofthe Araucanians of Chile. 
The Tehuelches and Pampas are nomadic tribes subsisting almost 
entirely by the chase. The proverbial stature of the Patagonians 
was so far confirmed by the observation that the Tehuelches give 
an average height of five feet ten inches, with a-corresponding 
breadth of shoulders and muscular development ; the Manza- 
neros come next in order of height and strength, the Pampas 
being the smallest of the three races, The Manzaneros are 
remarkable for their fair complexions, whilst the Tehuelches are, 
literally speaking, Red Indians, Lieut. Musters had visited all 
the various tribes of those races, from the Rio Negro to the 
Straits of Magellan, for political purposes, and he estimated the 
population, which he described as diminishing, as follows :— 
Tehuelches 1,400 to 1,500, Pampas 600, and the remainder 
Manzaneros, amounting in all to about 3,000.—Dr. Eatwell 
contributed a communication on Chinese burials.—-Mr. Josiah 
Harris announced the arrival from the coast of Peru of various 
pieces of rag, of wooden images, pottery, and other articles 
of great interest ; and the chairman stated that the specimens 
would be exhibited and described at the next meeting of the 
Institute. —Mr. George Harcourt exhibited a flint implement 
found near a stream flowing from Virginia Water, anda bronze 
Celt discovered in the root of a tree in the parish of Thorpe, 
Surrey. 

Paris 
Academy of Sciences, May 1.—M. Chasles contributed a 
rather long but very important paper on Conic Sections. The 
illustrious mathematician gives the theorems rather than the mode 
of demonstrating them. It is a reminiscence of the old academy 
in the golden age of the seventeenth century. The theorems are 
very numerous.—M. Trécul read a rather long account of the 
analysis of the juices which can be extracted from aloes.—M. 
Decaisne read a memoir, which is printed at full length, on the 
Temperature of Children when they are taken ill.—M. Delaunay 
presented the second number of his monthly meteorological 
report for the month of April. It is to be noticed that April 
expired on a Sunday, and that M. Delaunay spared not a single 
hour, as his 7éswmé was ready on the following day. The 
observatory had suffered scarcely any injury up to the end of the 
second siege. No delegate of the Commune had presented him- 
self either to take possession of it or to blow it up. 
May 8.—It was only at this late date that M. Longuet’s death 
was officially made known tothe Academy. M. Delaunay, who 
presided over the proceedings, gave expression to a few becoming 
sentences of regret at the loss the Academy had experienced. M. 
Longuet was a physiologist of much ingenuity and ability. —M. 
Duchartre, member of the Botanical Section, read a rather long 
paper on our knowledge of Liliaceze.—M. Sedillat, the learned 
Arabic scholar, reada paper on the etymology of French words 
havingan Arabic origin. Their number isimmense, and M. Littré, 


in his great ‘‘ Etymological Dictionary,” supposes it to be even | 
much larger. The intercourse with Arabs was very active 
even in medizval times, as is proved by the history of the 
University of Paris, which so long defended Averrhoes. M. 
Sedillat gives many instances chosen from an immense number of 
others. —M. Stanislas Meunier sent a very interesting paper on 
meteorites. The experiments were made by him according to the 
precepts given by M. Daubrée, to whom M. Stanislas Meunier 
is assistant. M. Daubrée is nowa refugee at Versailles. The 
museum where these experiments were executed is said to be safe, | 
contrary to previous assertions. 
M. Stanislas Meunier explained | 
by what process serpentine mountains can be changed into | 
tadjerite. Tadjerite is found in some meteorites which belong to 
the museum collection. Specimens are also to be found in the 
| 
British Museum, Yale College, U.S., &c. M. Boilot, the 
scientific editor of the AZonitewr, read a paper which was written 
to show astronomers that they must study carefully the different 
kinds of combustion on the surface of the earth, natural or ar i- 
ficial, to gain some quasi-experimental knowledge of the celestial 
phenomena of the origin and variations of star light. The doctrine 
was illustrated by some interesting observations. —M. Quesneville, 
editor of the Aon:teur Scientifique, presented a set of his papers. 
—M. Tremeschini presented three drawings representing one 
large solar spot seen on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of May at noon. 
These drawings are inserted in the Comptes Rendus. M. 'Tremes- 
chini lives at Belleville, the spot where the rebellion fought its 
last desperate struggle. It is to be hoped that he escaped safe, 
though up to this moment nothing has been heard from him. 


BOOKS RECEIVED 
Encuisu.—A Memoir of the Indian Survey : C. R. Markham (India Office). 
—Light Science for Leisure Hours: R. A. Proctor (Longmans).—At Last, 
2 vols.: Rey. Canoa Kingsley (Macmillan and Co.),—The Modes of Origin 
of Lowest Organisms: Dr. H. C, Bastian (Macmillan and Co.). 
Foreicn.—(Through Williams and Norgate)—Lehrbuch der Mechanik: 
Dr. Wernicke.—Le Soleil: Padre Secchi 


DIARY 
THURSDAY, June 8. 
Society oF ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30.—On the important Excayaticns in Rome 
during the present season: J.H Parker, F.S.A. é 
Maruemaricat Society, at 8.—On Plicker’s Models of Certain Quartic 
Surfaces: Prof. Cayley.—On the Motion of a Plare under certain Condi- 
tions: Mr. S. Roberts. 
Roya INstITuTION, at 3.—Sound: Prof. Tyndall. 
FRIDAY, June 9. 
ASTRONOMICAL Socikrty, at 8, 
QveEKETT MicroscoricaL Cvs, at 8, 
Royat InstiTuTIon, at 9.—On Dust and Smoke: Prof. Tyndall. 
SATURDAY, June 10. 
Royat Institution, at 3.—On the Instruments Used in Modern Astro 
nomy: J. N. Lockyer, F.R.S. 
MONDAY, June 12. 
Roya GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, at 8.30. 
TUESDAY, June 13. 
PuoToGRAPHIC SocIETY, at 8. 
THURSDAY, June 15. 
Royat Society, at 8.30. 
SociETY OF ANTIQUARIES, at 8.30. 
CuemicaL Society, at 8.—An Experimental Inquiry as to the Action of 
Electricity upon Oxygen: Sir B. C. Brodie, Bart. 
LINNEAN Society, at 8—On British Spiders: Rev. O. P. Cambridge.— 
Ona Luminous Coleopterous Larya: Dr. Burmeister. 


CONTENTS PaGe 
THe GENERAL OCEANIC CIRCULATION . + . «© « © © s = « © QF 
Sctence in Iraty. By W. Martievu WILtIAMs, F.C.S. . 98 
SEELEY ON THE ORNITHOSAURIA. By H. Woopwarp, F.G.S.. 109 
OURJBOOKISHEDKE-) ie) lcdcel > Miche toti ial stile ir cil aviaRnE= ror 
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR :— 
Science Lectures for the People. —T. Fawcett, B.A... . . . 104 
Preponderance of West Winds.—J. J. Murrny, F.G.S. 102 
Remarkable Sun-spots. (W7th [//ustration.)—J. BiRMINGHAM 102 
ANNUAL VISITATION OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY. . . - « + © 103 
Tue Sctentiric VALUE OF CHEESE-FACTORIES 2 a of © See ee 
Hypravutic BUFFER FOR CHECKING THE Recor: oF Heavy Guns. 
(Waele Lélustraiion,) ce ee Ve) «aes be) eee ea ee ee 
INOTES) ae) 6) ew slius ts jel teviied el @ Rental can cnntS anna mata 
AMERICAN NOTES (suis cs pa, (<0 cou ite) oe ee 109 
SCIENCE IN VICTORTA ©. J. 2G, vs) ie am eC ne, ie ante mE SRC 
Mr. BantTHAm’s ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS TO THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 110 
Zoo.tocy.—Note on Transversely Striated Muscular Fibre among the 
Gasteropoda By W. H.yD Arr 20 oy lager ee) c=) lel le bot es 
SCYENTIFIC SERIALS. . <7 a) cal sl ae ne) stare eles avs ns 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. © (ss © = [elie es] = =) a) ©) eiemexn 
BOOKSRECEIVED < jc: <i Jeune melarel sWitet n=) tee) 2am 
DIARY) <) fo) 1c. e: “<o) 'o) eae Mensch te) icy) Sein ees 116 


Errata.—Vol. 1v., p.. 95, 2nd column, line 30, for ‘‘R. T. Friswell” 
oe R. J. Friswell”; line 37, for ‘‘ Fl,” read “‘T1,”; for ‘“‘ FIO,” read 
“T10,.” 
