718 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 748 



It has long been thought that the cocoanut 

 palm presents a perfect example of adaptation to 

 a littoral environment, but this iaea is delusive. 

 The tough outer rind which is popularly supposed 

 to have been developed as a protection against 

 sea vpater is really to guard the cocoanut when it 

 falls, and give it favorable conditions for germ- 

 ination. Cocoanuts require a certain amount of 

 salt in the soil, but this condition is satisfied by 

 soils in some interior localities as well as on the 

 seacoast. Considerable simshine is also needed. 

 This, however, is met better in arid regions than 

 by a coastal habitat and tue care with which the 

 milk is protected would argue in the same direc- 

 tion. Far from being a wild plant the cocoanut 

 does not appear to thrive long away from human 

 beings and in spite of the supposed diffusion of 

 the tree by oceanic currents no instance of the 

 kind is known. A consideration of the varieties 

 of cocoanut palms and the metnod of their occur- 

 rence points in the same direction. Against De 

 Candolle's hypothesis of an old world origin for 

 the cocoanut the speaker brought forward docu- 

 mentary evidence that this palm was spread much 

 wider in America than De Candolie had supposed, 

 so widely as to preclude the possibility of a recent 

 introduction into America. On the other hand, 

 certain Polynesian traditions were cited pointing 

 to an eastern origin for the cocoanut trees among 

 the inhabitants of the Pacific islands. 



Mr. Safford in discussing the paper contended 

 for an East Indian origin. He called attention 

 to the intimate connection between this tree and 

 the entire social and economic fabric of Polynesian 

 culture. The absence of cocoanuts from Peruvian 

 graves he considered a strong argument against 

 an American origin and the Polynesian traditions 

 cited by Dr. Cook, he thought, were due to the fact 

 that the oceanic currents in the mid Pacific set 

 westward, leaving wreckage, etc., upon the eastern 

 coasts of the islands. While agreeing with the 

 speaker regarding the origin of the cocoanut in 

 an arid country and its adaptation to human 

 needs through human agency Professor McGee 

 believed that we are very far from the end of the 

 problem which it presents. Dr. Folkmar also 

 discussed the paper briefly and Dr. Cook made a 

 short reply to the criticisms and questions. 



Carmihalism in Polynesia: Abthttb P. Rice. 



Mr. Rice remarked upon the wide distribution 

 of this custom and the fact that it had survived 

 to modem times more particularly in Polynesia. 

 Within this area, however, great differences are 

 presented. While Fiji is the classic land of 



cannibalism, the very next group, the Tonga 

 Islands, lacked it entirely; it was a common 

 practise in the Marquesas Islands, but held in 

 abhorrence in Hawaii. In Fiji the custom was a 

 part of the state religion and was demanded by 

 the gods. Revenge upon enemies was the most 

 constant reason for exercising it, but each island 

 kept a black list from which victims were taken 

 on occasion. Those who died a natural death and 

 chiefs were never eaten. Cases were also cited 

 from New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, Samoa 

 and New Zealand. The absence of animals from 

 which a sufiSeient meat diet could be obtained was 

 cited as a probable stimulant to the great extension 

 of cannibalism over the Pacific, and the modern 

 introduction of such animal diet a contributing 

 cause to its extinction. A partial compensation 

 for the evils of this custom is to be found in the 

 knowledge of human anatomy thereby acquired 

 and the surgical skill resulting, for which the 

 Maori, at least, were noted. The paper was dis- 

 cussed briefly by Dr. Swanton. 



The meeting concluded with an exhibition of a 

 collection of Chitimacha baskets recently acquired 

 by the National Museum through Mrs. Sidney 

 Bradford, of Avery Island, La., and an explana- 

 tion of the designs upon these by the secretary 

 of the society. 



John R. Swanton, 

 Secretary 



THE WASHINGTON CHEMICAL SOCIETY 



The 190th regular meeting of the society was 

 held at the Cosmos Club on Thursday evening, 

 April 8, President Walker in the chair. The 

 attendance was 57. 



Professor F. W. Clarke gave a talk in memory 

 of Professor Wolcott Gibbs. Professor Munroe, 

 Professor Chatard and Dr. Benjamin related some 

 personal reminiscences of the noted chemist. 



Announcement was made that a special meeting 

 of the society would be held at the Johns Hopkins 

 University at Baltimore on April 24. The society 

 granted to the American Chemical Society a 

 waiver of jurisdiction over Virginia, except that 

 part of the state within a radius of twenty-five 

 miles from Washington. Dr. F. C. Cook was 

 appointed the delegate to represent the society 

 at the Seventh International Congress of Applied 

 Chemistry at London. 



J. A. Lk Clebc, 

 Secretary 



BUBEAU OF ChEMISTBY, 



Washington, D. C. 



