NOVEMBEE 16, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



629 



to Mr. Eobert F. Gilder, of Omaha, who de- 

 scribed and figured the skulls in the Woiid- 

 Herald, October 21. 



That there was intrusive burial in this 

 mound is apparent from the fact that the 

 skulls found below a layer of burned clay are 

 of a much more primitive type than those 

 found above it. Already five skulls have been 

 taken from the lower level, and three from the 

 upper, and others are in evidence and will be 

 dug out later. Those of the upper layer prob- 

 ably belonged to Indians of a later period, 

 and may be left out of account for the pres- 

 ent. The skulls of the lower layer are low- 

 browed and inferior, the superciliary ridges 

 being thick and protruding, the distance 

 through the temples narrow, and the frontal 

 eminences being as feebly developed as in 

 Neanderthal man. The low arch of the skull 

 is not the result of head-binding, but is nor- 

 mal and characteristic as is evidenced by five 

 crania, two of which are fairly complete. Un- 

 fortunately the occiput is fragmentary or 

 wanting in the specimens now at hand. 



The skulls are brachycephalic, and extremely 

 narrow in transverse diameter through the 

 temples, expanding rapidly at the parietals. 

 Length of skull 182 mm. ; minimum breadth 

 93 mm.; maximum breadth 160 mm. 



In shape and size the mandible agrees well 

 with that of modern man, although the fol- 

 lowing marked differences are to be noted; the 

 bone, particularly in the region of the sym- 

 physis, is far heavier, the muscular scars more 

 prominent, and the third molar in each case is 

 ground to the very gum, while the second and 

 third are ground in a diminishing ratio. The 

 canines are weak and scarcely distinguishable 

 from the incisors, and the space between the 

 molars and the base of the coronoid is wide. 



The limb bones indicate a stature of six 

 feet, the femora being somewhat stronger, and 

 the humeri being somewhat weaker than might 

 be expected. The femora, which are massive, 

 manifest an interior curvature more pro- 

 nounced than ordinary, and in cross section 

 they appear triangular through the great de- 

 velopment of the linea aspera, all muscular 

 scars and tuberosities are noticeably promi- 



nent, the scar for ligamentum teres being 

 elliptical in outline, deep and nearly twice as 

 long as broad. 



The skulls of the Nebraska man seem to be 

 inferior to those of the mound builder, but 

 for the present at least will be viewed as early 

 representatives of that tribe. 



In corroboration are the flint implements or 

 chips found associated with the skulls and 

 bones, and the mode of burial. As work 

 progresses a detailed illustrated report will 

 be made. 



E. H. Barbouk, 

 H. B. Ward. 



The University of Nebbaska, 

 October 27, 1906. 



THE SECOND DECENNIAL OF THE BOTAN- 

 ICAL SEMINAR OF THE UNIVERSITY 

 OF NEBRASKA. 



The botanical seminar of the University of 

 Nebraska was organized, under the name of 

 the ' Sem. Bot.,' as a secret society, by several 

 advanced students in botany, on October 11, 

 1886. For some years it was an exclusive 

 secret society. About 1891 it changed its 

 policy and became a serious, scientific organ- 

 ization, aiming to promote research and, in 

 particular, to organize the study of the vegeta- 

 tion of the state. Since that time it has ad- 

 mitted advanced students from time to time 

 and has established two preliminary grades to 

 which students are admitted after examina- 

 tion as a preparation for ultimate membership. 

 It has conducted, since 1892, the botanical sur- 

 vey of Nebraska, has built up the survey 

 herbarium and has published three parts of a 

 ' Flora of Nebraska,' eight reports of the 

 botanical survey, and the first volume of the 

 ' Phytogeography of Nebraska.' At the same 

 time that it has been engaged in this serious 

 work, it has kept up the traditional secret or- 

 ganization, which now survives in certain tra- 

 ditional insignia, in the three grades of mem- 

 bership, and in certain traditional ceremonies. 



On October 11 the seminar celebrated its 

 second decennial. In the afternoon of that 

 day all work in the botanical laboratories was 

 suspended, and at three o'clock an open meet- 

 ing was held which took the form of a sym- 



