Aug. 10, 1871] 

tinuation of the important communications by Prof. Marsh, of 
Yale College, in regard to the results of his expedition to the 
Rocky Mountains during the past year. In addition to a number 
of new fossil mammals allied to the woodchuck, the gopher, the 
squirrel, the dog, and the fox, he presents a notice of sundry 
_mew species of ‘birds from the Tertiaries of the West. Among 
_ these is an extinct species of eagle of large size, a turkey, and an 
owl.—In the search for new regions of exploration and discovery, 
it is not a little surprising to be assured that, taking the West 
Indies as a group, we know almost as little of their natural his- 
tory as we do of that of Central Africa, especially of the islands 
east and south of the Greater Antilles. Thanks to the labours 
_of Dr. Gundlach, and Prof. Poey in Cuba, of Dr. Bryant in the 
Bahamas, of Mr. March and Mr. Gosse in Jamaica, of Mr. A. 
E. Younglove in Hayti, of Dr. Bryant, Mr. Swift, and Mr. 
Latimer in Porto Rico, of Mr. Swift in St. Thomas, of Mr. 
 Galody in Antigua, of Mr. Julien in Sombrero, and of Mr. New- 
ton in Santa Cruz, we have a fair knowledge of the birds of the 
islands mentioned ; but of Anguilla, St. Martin, Barbuda, Nevis, 
Montserrat, and Grenada we know nothing ; and of St. Bartho- 
lomew, St. John, Saba, and Barbadoes, next to nothing. Do- 
minica, Martinique, and Guadaloupe have been more or less 
explored {by English and French naturalists, although with no 
very complete result. We are glad to see that the Zoological 
"Society of London is printing a paper by Dr. Sclater upon a col- 
lection of the birds of Santa Lucia, sent to the Society by Mr. 
De Voeux, in which twenty-five species are enumerated, and 
among them three entirely peculiar to the island, one of them, a 
species of oriole, being hitherto undescribed. To such of our 
readers as have a spirit of enterprise, and are desirous of visiting 
a region which is sure to reward them with rich and undescribed 
treasures in natural history, we earnestly recommend the 
smaller West India islands, to which a trip can be made, es- 
pecially in the winter season, with little or no risk to life 
or health, and with ample promise of satisfactory results.— 
We have before us the annual report of the trustees of the Museum 
of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, for the year 1870, con- 
taining interesting communications from Prof. Agassiz, as the 
director, and his corps of able assistants. We are glad to learn 
that the temporary indisposition of the director (now happily 
past) has not crippled the efficiency of the establishment, and that 
so much progress has been made in arranging the immense stock 
of specimens that has been gathered within the walls of the 
museum from all quarters of the globe. The addition of a 
number of trained European naturalists, as Dr. Steindachner, 
Dr. Maack, Dr. Hagen, &c., has given great strength to the 
scientific corps, and has enabled Prof. Agassiz to do much to- 
ward realising the magnificent plan that he has proposed, for the 
permanent arrangement and utilisation of the collection.—We 
have referred, in a previous article upon American explorations 
into the fauna of the deep seas, to the proposed work, during the 
current season, of Mr. J. F. Whiteaves, the accomplished secre- 
tary and curator of the Natural History Society of Montreal ; and 
we now give a more detailed account of his expected movements. 
This gentleman has been in America for several years, bringing 
with him an excellent record as a zoological investigator. Soon 
after his arrival in this country, he associated himself with the 
Montreal Society of Natural History, and has since that time 
been working sedulously in its interest. In 1867 he spent a fort- 
night in Gaspé Bay, where he prosecuted an extended system of 
dredging, and revisited the same region in 1869, extending his 
labours to the Gulf, between Cape Rozier lighthouse and Ship- 
head. Large numbers of marine invertebrates were collected by 
him, among them two species of shell new to America; but no 
dredging was prosecuted at a greater depth than sixty fathoms. 
The object of his expedition of the present year is to carry on 
work in deeper water, and for this purpose he expected to start 
in the schooner Za Canadienne on the 5th of July, to cruise along 
the north shores of the Gulf as far as Anticosti, or beyond. He 
goes prepared to prosecute his labours in the deep sea (two 
to three hundred fathoms) on each side of that island; and 
from his experience in such researches, and the information de- 
rived from the later American and English deep-sea explorations, 
we have reason to hope for many important discoveries. — 
The cultivation of the natural and physical sciences has not been 
prosecuted with much success, as far as the announcement of new 
facts is concerned, by the Spanish-American races of the New 
World, although in nearly every State there is a society devoted 
more or less to such objects. Of late years, however, an in- 
creasing degree of vitality has manifested itself in these organi- 
sations, and there is reason to believe that in time they may be of 

NATURE 


299 

considerable value. The most prominent institutions of the kind 
at present are in Mexico, namely, the Geographical and Statis- 
tical Society and the Society of Natural History ; both of them 
publishing Transactions which embody much information in their 
pages. The Royal Economical Society of Havana has published 
a bulletin of its proceedings, although devoted more to historical 
than scientific subjects. The most active society in Havana, 
however, is the ‘‘ Royal Academy of Medical and Physical and 
Natural Sciences.” Of this Dr. Gutiérrez is President; Don 
Francisco de Sauvalle, Vice-President ; Dr. Antonio Mestre, 
Secretary-General ; Don José F. de Castro, Corresponding Secre- 
tary; Dr. Felipe Rodriguez, Assistant-Secretary ; Dr. Ramon 
L. Miranda, Treasurer; and Dr. Juan Calixto Oxamend, 
Librarian—all holding their offices until 1873. Institutions in 
Brazil, Buenos Ayres, and Chili also exhibit a commendable 
degree of activity. 
Prof. C. F. Hartt, of Cornell University, has lately issued a 
circular announcing his intention of starting on a fourth expe- 
dition of scientific research to Brazil. This gentleman has been 
long and favourably known for his efforts in regard to the explora- 
tion of that portion of South America, having made his first 
journey in 1865 as one of the a/fachés of the Thayer expedition 
under Prof. Agassiz. In 1867 he made a second journey alone 
to the Brazilian coast, taking Bahia as his centre, and covering 
an extensive area around that point, including a trip to the 
Abrolhos Islands. These two expeditions included a large part of 
the coast from Rio to Pernambuco, a district of about one thou- 
sand miles. A third visit was made in 1870 to the valley of the 
Amazon, to clear up certain points at issue between himself and 
Prof. Agassiz in regard to the geology of that country. The 
funds for this expedition were furnished in part by a friend of 
science, whose name he is not permitted to give, with a contri- 
bution by Colonel Edward Morgan of one thousand dollars, and 
by Prof. Goldwin Smith of five hundred, besides small sums 
from other parties. Assistance was rendered by the Brazilian 
authorities in furnishing a small steamer with a suitable amount 
of coal. The collections made on this expedition were very 
extensive, and embraced objects ofall kinds, including ethnology 
and anthropology. The fourth expedition, now contemplated, 
is intended to complete the survey of the eastern part of the 
Amazonian Valley, especially in its zoological relationships, and 
further to investigate the Indian mounds of Marajo, and to collect 
data in reference to the languages of the people of the country. 
The sum estimated as necessary for this expedition is four thou- 
sand dollars, of which five hundred have already been contributed 
by Harvard University ; and we trust that the friends of science 
who may have the means at their command will not fail to 
respond to the appeal of Prof. Hartt by furnishing pecuniary 
assistance, either without conditions or with the understanding 
that a certain portion of the collection is to be supplied to the 
contributors in return. It is understood that Messrs. Osgood and 
Co., of Boston, have engaged a series of articles upon the expe- 
dition, to be published in Zvery Saturday, and afterwards to be 
collected in book form. 
The Hydrographic Office of the Bureau of Navigation of the 
United States has lately published a monogram upon the Marshall 
group of islands in the North Pacific. ‘This group consists of 
two chains of islands, lying nearly parallel with each other, and 
running north-west and south-west from lat. 11° 50’ N. to 4° 
30’ N., and from long. 167° E. to 173° E., covering an‘area of 
over 350 by 400 miles in extent, and yery little known to navi- 
gators, the information hitherto on record being considered very 
unreliable. The eastern chain is known as the Radack, and the 
western as the Ralick, each numbering from fifteen to eighteen 
groups of low coralline islands, the greater number of which are 
fully formed atolls—that is lagoons of greater or less extent—with 
deep water and anchorages, surrounded by a chain of reefs, con- 
necting islands, with one or more passages through the reefs into 
the lagoons, most of which are navigable for large vessels, besides 
which there are numerous boat passages. The earliest discovery 
of this archipelago is said to have been by Laévedra, in 1529 ; 
and the next visit made to them was by Anson, in 1742. Since 
then the islands have been touched at by different navigators at 
various times, although until the appearance of the report just 
referred to but little definite information had been brought to- 
gether of the archipelago asa group. A missionary establish- 
ment was started on one of these islands in 1857, which eontinues 
to be successful to the present time. The inhabitants numbered, 
at the latest accounts, 10,000. They are expert navigators, and 
perform journeys throughout the group. They are dark, with 
straight hair, and are said to be intelligent and hospitable,—Mr, 
