296 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. in. No. 60. 



can aborigines, and their few alcoholic drinks 

 were such as could be readily obtained by the 

 fermentation of saccharine fluids. 



In Mexico the two plants commonly used for 

 these drinks were Maize and Maguey (Agave 

 Americana), and, to a lesser extent, the fruit of 

 Opuntia Tuna, 0. Ficus-Indica, Yucca haccata 

 and Y. macr-ocarpa. 



In the United States the only Indians prepar- 

 ing alcoholic drinks were a few southwestern 

 tribes; Apaches, Pimos, Maricopas, Papagos 

 and Yumas, which probably obtained the knowl- 

 edge from Mexican natives early in this century. 

 The plants used were Maize (only by the 

 Apaches) Agave Parryi and A. Pahneri, the 

 pulpy fruit of the Pitahaya (Cereus giganteus 

 and C. Thurberi) and the bean of the Mezquite 

 (Prosopis juliflora and P. pubescens). 



2d. Plants yielding stimulating, deliriant or 

 intoxicating principles other than alcohol. 



The Peyote (Anhalonium Engelmanni Lem.) 

 and Mescal Buttons (Lophophora Williamsii Le- 

 winii Coulter) of the Rio Grande and North 

 Mexico, the Frijolillo {Sophora secundiflora) of 

 Texas, several species of Datura, specially D. 

 meteloides, and the Cassine or Yupon (Ilex vo- 

 miioria) of the southern Indians from which they 

 prepared their favorite 'Black Drink.' 



3d. Plants yielding palatable and nutritive 

 sap or juice, or, by infusion, pleasant beverages 

 or teas. 



The saps most used were those of Maples 

 (Acer saccharum, A. saccharinum and A. rubrum), 

 and to a lesser extent that of Box Elder (Acer 

 negundo), of the Butternut (Juglans cinerea) and 

 of the Birch (Belula lenta and lutea). 



The juicy plants of desert regions : Leaves 

 and stems of several species of Agave, Opuntia 

 and Echinocactus, the Sotol (Dasylirion Texanum) 

 and the Sand Food (Ammobroma Sonorose). 



Plants whose seeds were infused in water for 

 their mucilage, sugar, oils, &c. : Maize, Mez- 

 quite and several species of Sage, chiefly Salvia 

 polystachya, the Chia of Mexico, and S. Colum- 

 barise, the Chia of California and Arizona. 



Plants with tart fruit imparting a pleasant 

 acidulous taste to water : Several species of 

 Sumach on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the 

 Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos Manzanita and tomen- 

 tosa) of California, the Bulberry of the Missouri 



region (Shepherdia argentea), the Soapberry of 

 the Northern States (S. Canadensis) and various 

 species of Barberries (Serberis). 



Plants containg mostly volatile oils, making 

 agreeable, fragrant teas: Sassafras, Spice bush 

 (Benzoin Benzoin), Wintergreen (Gaultheria pro- 

 cumbens), New Jersey Tea (Ceanotkus Ameri- 

 canus), Labrador Tea (Ledum Oreenlandicum), 

 Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago ,odora). Pennyroyal 

 (Hedeoma pulegioides and Drummondi), Cvoton 

 Gorymbulosus and suaveolens. 



Dr. John K. Small presented his ' Preliminary 

 Notes on the North American Species of Saxi- 

 fraga,' proposing to separate from that genus 

 the two new genera Japsonia and Saxifragopsis. 



Dr. N. L. Britton read a paper entitled 

 'New or Noteworthy species of Cyperaceae.' 

 He proposed a number of new species, reduced 

 two species and submitted a large number of 

 valuable notes, especially on geographical dis- 

 tribution. 



Dr. Britton also submitted observations and 

 specimens in support of Pursh's Lilium umbella- 

 tum, a species which has been uniformly ac- 

 cepted in herbaria as L. Philadelphicum. This 

 view was endorsed by Mr. Rydberg. 



H. H. RtrsBY, 



Secretary. 



NEW BOOKS. 



Physiological Papers. By M. Newell Maetin. 

 Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Press. 1895. Pp. 

 vii. + 264. 



Elements of the Theory of Functions of a Com- 

 plex Variable. By Dr. H. DuRi:GE. Authorized 

 translation from 4th German Edition. George 

 Egbert Fisher and Isaac J. Schwatt. Phila- 

 delphia, G. E. Fisher and I. J. Schwatt. 

 1896. Pp. xiii.H-288. 



A Text-Book of Gas Manufacture for Students. 

 John Hornby. London, George Bell & Sons. 

 New York, Iilacmillan & Co. 1896. Pp. 

 vii+261. $1.50. 



Natunvissenschaftliche Einfilhrung in die Bakterio- 

 logie. Ferdinand Hueppe. Wiesbaden, C. 

 W. Kreidel. 1896. Pp. viii. + 268. M. 6. 



Die Lehre von den spezifischen Sinnesenergien. 

 Rudolf Weinmann. Hamburg and Leipzig, 

 Leopold Voss. 1895. Pp. 96. 1895. M. 2.25. 



