32 BULLETIN OP THE 



cations. The value to railroad transportation of such knowledge 

 can hardly be estimated. 



Nearl}'- all the expei'iments are conducted by private individual 

 enterprise, and few of the important problems of transportation 

 have been touched. There is so much jealousy that but few care 

 to know anything about the problems of transportation, as it 

 more or less affects the opinions of the managers. 



From many numerous experiments we have just completed for 

 one railroad, we have determined the cost of moving a ton of 

 weight one mile, and plotted the results, showing on some of its 

 rates it did not get back the cost of simply moving its cars, 

 engines, and freight, regardless of any interest and cost of 

 organization. 



There are some attachments designed and yet to be added to 

 the Dynagraph for special experiments. 



Mr. Abbe followed with further explanations, and some points 

 were discussed by Messrs. Harkness and Dudley. 



Mr. C. A. White read a communication on 



THE fresh-water SHELL-HEAPS OF THE INTERIOR RIVERS OF 

 NORTH AMERICA. 



Messrs. Baird, Mason, Abbe, and Gill added information 

 respecting shell-heaps in other regions, especially neai' the coasts 

 of Massachusetts, Maine, and New Brunswick, and discussing 

 the evidence of cannibalism found in some of them. 



158th Meeting. March 15, 1819. 



Yice-President Hilgard, and subsequently the President, 

 in the Chair. 



Fifty-eight members and visitors present. 



Prof. A. WiNCHELL, of Syracuse, N. Y., made a communica- 

 tion on 



THE progressive DISPERSION OF MANKIND OVER THE SURFACE 



OF THE EARTH 



referring mainly to prehistoric races. 



