278 



SCmNGE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 60. 



ANTHROPOMETRY OF THE AMERICAN IN- 

 DIANS. 



At a session of the Berlin Anthropological 

 Society, in May last, Dr. Franz Boas re- 

 ported the results of numerous measure- 

 ments of American Indians and half- 

 breeds, which he had carried out. A few 

 of his conclusions may be mentioned. 



On the whole, the Indian is rather tall, 

 and the half-breeds slightly taller than the 

 pure blood. The women are 92 to 94 per 

 cent, the height of the male. As usual, the 

 tallest tribes are dwellers in plains. The 

 head-form varies extremely, but is persis- 

 tent over wide regions, the Mississippi val- 

 ley being peopled with mesocephalic tribes, 

 the extreme north with dolichocephalic, 

 while others, as the Tene, both north and 

 south, are brachycephalic. There is no 

 general type of native American skull. The 

 facial diameter rarely sinks below 147 mm., 

 and when such is the case foreign blood 

 may be suspected. 



The article is furnished with abundant 

 tables and diagrams, and offers a fine ex- 

 ample of scientific work. 



THE MONUMENTS OF YUCATAN. 



The first number of the anthropological 

 series published by the Field Columbian 

 Museum, Chicago, is the ' Archaeological 

 Studies among the Ancient Cities of Mexico,' 

 by the curator, William H. Holmes. The 

 first part, which alone has appeared, is de- 

 voted to the architectural remains of Yuca- 

 tan. These were explored by the author 

 in a visit there last winter, which included 

 an inspection of the relics at Mugeres Is- 

 land, Cozumel, Uxmal, Izamal, Chichen 

 Itza, and some places of less note. 



The results fill a volume of 137 pages, 

 abundantly illustrated and rich with accu- 

 rate observations and careful deductions. 

 Several sketch maps and panoramas of the 

 sites are inserted which give a much clearer 

 notion than can be obtained from verbal 



descriptions. The analysis of the elements 

 of Mayan architecture are especially origi- 

 nal and valuable and impart a peculiar 

 worth to this monograph. The same may 

 be said of the observations on the materials 

 employed, the orientation, the necessity for 

 instruments of precision, the function of 

 the buildings, the dressing of stone, the 

 evolution of the ground plans, stairways 

 and substructures, etc. In fact, the reader 

 will find on almost every page something to 

 catch his attention and to cast new light on 

 the many obscure problems connected with 

 the ancient Mayas. 



D. G. Brinton, 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 



A PERMANENT SCIENTIFIC HEAD FOR THE 

 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



An amendment to the Agricultural appropria- 

 tion bill has just been sent to Congress provid- 

 ing for a " Director-in-Chief of scientific bureaus 

 and investigations, to serve during good be- 

 havior, to have authority to act 9S Assistant 

 Secretary, and to perform such other duties 

 as the Secretary may direct. ' ' 



This amendment, which has received the en- 

 dorsement of the Secretary and Assistant Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture, is the outgrowth of an ef- 

 fort to secure a permanent non-political organi- 

 zation and administration of the various bureaus 

 and divisions engaged in the scientific work of 

 the Government, and at the same time bring 

 about a more intelHgent and more effective co- 

 operation than has been heretofore possible. 



The chief promoters of this movement are^ 

 well-known public-spirited educators and men 

 of science entirely outside of the Government 

 service. 



The Department of Agriculture as at present 

 organized comprises a large number of scientific 

 and administrative divisions having for their ob- 

 ject the discovery, exploration and develop- 

 ment of the agricultural and other natural re- 

 sources of the country. The scientific divisions 

 are engaged in researches requiring the highest, 

 technical skill, and some of them in the solu- 

 tions of problems requiring long years of prep- 

 aration and scientific training. 



