JULY 28, 1899.] 
As to primitive marriage the authors tend to- 
ward a promiscuity theory as versus Wester- 
marck (p.111). It isnotable that the ‘muscle’ 
dance as sexual lure is found amongst the 
Arunta (p. 881). Religion as mere craft is 
suggestively noted (p. 180). The intense sol- 
idarity and communism of savage life is vividly 
portrayed in thiswork. The account of social- 
ization suggests that if we could penetrate ani- 
mal organization, for example, crows, we might 
find quite similar methods, a general animistic 
interpretation and adaptation, and asort of un- 
specialized Totemism, for instance, in rain calls. 
In this work we find plenty of hard dry facts, 
of external description, thorough and precise, 
but we have little large, comparative and psy- 
chic interpretation. We learn very little of 
how the natives think and feel. The conserv- 
atism of savage life is alluded to, as also the 
rather narrow but real chance of variation. 
Their powers of observation and memory in what 
directly concerns their livelihood is mentioned, 
as is also their very limited power of numer- 
ation. In adaptive intelligence they are in one 
point inferior to the elephant, who thatches 
himself, for though the Australian has warm 
skins of kangaroo he has never thought to use 
them as defense from the cold which often goes 
below freezing point. As clothing is unknown 
to him, we must revise our definition of man 
as an animal that wears clothes. 
The authors are far from making clear the 
concept of the natives as regards the life of the 
individual after death. They continually use 
the word ‘spirit’; but the essence or vital core 
of the individual which changes residence is 
really concrete (pp. 137 and 516), and it seems 
obvious that the natives have not risen to the 
idea of body and spirit. It would certainly be 
highly desirable that a skilled psychologist 
should closely interpret the psychic basis of the 
ceremonies, etc., described, should study emo- 
tions and their expressions, and test the psy- 
chic power of the natives in various ways. 
The work has good maps and photographic 
illustrations. Some of the faces and figures are 
finely sculpturesque, for example pages 35 and 
43, and the full face, p. 38, is a veritable Olym- 
pic Zeus. ; 
Hiram M. STANLEY. 
_ SCIENCE. 
119 
Guide to Excursions in the Fossiliferous Rocks of 
New York State. By JoHN M. CLARKE, State 
Paleontologist. June, 1899. Pp. 1-120. Or 
Handbook 15, University of the State of New 
York. 
This booklet is somewhat of a novelty in 
American geological literature. Every student 
of geology knows that New York Stateis classic 
ground for many of the Paleozoic formations of 
America. But a knowledge of how to see the 
various formations and collect their character- 
istic fossils to the best advantage in the shortest 
time and with the least expense can be obtained 
only after much experience. Here, however, 
most of this information is at hand and students 
of geology can go directly to classical localities 
and lovers of nature to some of the prettiest 
spots in the State. 
In this booklet are described in detail 27 ex- 
cursions, each demanding from 1 to 7 days. 
All of the trips can be made in from 56 to 72 
days. The best and most readily accessible 
sections are described and directions given to 
railroads, the places to stop over night and the 
localities and beds furnishing characteristic fos- 
sils from the Cambrian to the Chemung, includ- 
ing the post-Glacial clays. 
It is to be hoped that other States will profit 
by New York’s example and that similar book- 
lets for Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and 
Towa will follow. C.S. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Praxis und Theorie der Zellen und B-fruchtungslehre. 
VALENTIN HACKER. Jena, Gustav Fischer. 1899. 
Pp. viii + 260. Mark 7. 
Physical Nature of the Child. Stuart H. Rowe. 
New York and London, The Macmillan Company. 
Pp. xiv-+ 206. $1.00 
The Elements of Physics for use in High Schools. 
HenRy CREW. New York and London, The 
Macmillan Company. 1899. Pp. xiii + 347. 
$1.10. 
SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 
The American Naturalist for July opens with 
an article by T. H. Montgomery, ‘ Observations 
on Owls, with particular regard to their 
Feeding Habits,’ which clearly demonstrates 
the comparative abundance of small rodents 
as well as the numbers destroyed by owls. 
