118 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. I., No. 4. 



The work is rather an elaborate study of some well- 

 known but badly recorded myths. The myths discov- 

 ered among savage and barbaric peoples, and told by 

 untrained anthropologists, have as little value for the 

 science of anthropology as the stories told by unsci- 

 entific travellers concerning wonderful animals have 

 for zoology. In every Indian village of North Amer- 

 ica, civilized or uncivilized, the mytlis of the ancient 

 days are yet told ; and the science of North- American 

 mythology cannot be given to the world until thou- 

 sands of myths now current are collected by trained 

 men. —J. w. p. [282 



Mortuary customs. — Several curious survivals 

 In different departments of France noted; among 

 them, beehives put in mourning with black cloth, on 

 the death of the proprietor, to prevent flight of the 

 bees after the soul. — (Bull. soc. anthrop. Paris, 

 April-July, 18S2.) j. w. p. [283 



Cranial deformation. — In the collection of crania 

 by M. Marche, from the Philippine islands, a large 

 proportion exhibited an occipito-frontal compression, 

 described by M. Topinard to be nearly identical with 



the results of the cranial compression of the Peruvians 

 and Chinooks. — [Bull. soc. anthrop. Paris, April- 

 July, 1SS2.) J. w. p. [284 

 Brain-Tweight tables from Cochin China. — A 



contribution of M. Ne'is is described by M. Topinard 

 as the most important yet received regarding the 

 cranial capacity of the ' yellow race,' showing a near 

 approach to Europeans, and marked separation from 

 negroes, io this respect. — {Bull. soc. anthrop. Paris, 

 April-July, 1SS2.) j. w. p. [285 



The nur-aghes of Sardinia. — Dr. d'Hercourt 

 described the ancient stone-works, or nur-aghes, of 

 Sardinia, and contended that the object of their con- 

 struction was for places of refuge for man and beast 

 against sudden attack, and also to serve as signal- 

 stations. — {Bull. soc. anthrop. Paris, April-July, 

 1832.) J. w. p. [286 



Races in Cochin China. — M. de Claubry presents 

 the characteristics of the Malabars, Malays, Cambo- 

 dians, Chinese, and Anamites, the last named being 

 the most interesting. — {Bull. soc. anthrop. Paris, 

 April- July, 1882. ) j. w. P. [287 



INTELLiaENOE FROM AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC STATIONS. 



GOVEENMBNT ORGANIZATIONS. 

 Bnrean of weights and measnies, 



Distribution of standards. — Under the provisions 

 of a joint resolution of the two houses of congress, 

 approved March 3, 1881, there are now preparing in 

 the Bureau of weights and measures, at Washington, 

 sets of customary English standards, for distribution 

 to the governors of the various states, for the use of 

 the agricultural colleges throughout the country. 

 One set is to be sent to each state. In cases where 

 there are two or more agricultural colleges in one 

 state, the question of assignment is left with the 

 governor. Each set consists of a yard-scale divided 

 to tenths of inches ; weights, twenty-six in number, 

 ranging from twenty-five pounds to one grain ; liquid 

 measures from a gallon to a pint ; and dry measures 

 from a half-bushel to a quart. These are closely ad- 

 justed to the standards, and with each set will be sent 

 a table of the very small residual errors shown to 

 exist by the final comparisons. The adjustment of 

 these weights and measures is now so nearly com- 

 pleted that notifications have been sent to the gov- 

 ernors of most of the states, and the distribution will 

 begin in a few weeks. These standards will serve an 

 important use in educating students to ideas of accu- 

 racy in this most important matter. The general 

 government has already supplied to each of the states, 

 for use as state standards, full sets of English weights 

 and measures, and also balances. Upon the passage 

 in July, 1866, of the act legalizing the metric system 

 in the United States, the general government also 

 furnished to each state complete sets of metric 

 weights and measures. These sets are kept at the 

 respective seats of government, and are available for 

 the verification of the standards used by the county 

 or town sealers of weights and measures. Being all 

 carefully adjusted to a common standard, their use 

 will procure practical uniformity in weights and 

 measures throughout the country. 

 Geological survey, 



Topographical work. — Congress having authorized 

 the extension of the work of the geological survey 

 into the older states, topographical work, preparatory 



to geological study, was commenced in the southern 

 Appalachian region shortly after the adjournment of 

 congress last August. A division, consisting of one 

 party for carrying on triangulation, and three for 

 topography, was organized at Bristol, Tenn. Trian- 

 gulation was extended north-west-ward from the Coast 

 Survey belt along the Blue Ridge, the line ' Benn 

 Knob to Poore's Knob,' as determined by the Coast 

 and geodetic survey, serving as a base. About 5,000 

 D miles only were surveyed, as the season for field- 

 work was short, and the weather very unpropitious. 

 The area surveyed includes portions of the high 

 mountain region of east Tennessee, western North 

 Carolina, south-western Virginia, and eastern Ken- 

 tucky. 



For the purpose of testing thoroughly the practical 

 value of Mr. G-. K. Gilbert's method of reducing 

 barometric observations, four barometric stations 

 were established about and on the summit of Roan 

 Mt., N.C., at elevations ranging from 2,000 to 6,300 

 feet, and connected with one another by level lines. 



Besides the work of this division, geographic work 

 was carried on in northern California, looking towards 

 mapping the Cascade range, with a view of studying 

 its volcanic phenomena. 



Another geographic division continued the work in 

 western New Mexico, commenced the previous year; 

 while a fourth division commenced work in southern 

 Montana, near Bozeman. 



Besides these four divisions engaged upon general 

 geographic work, a number of parties were engaged 

 upon special and more detailed surveys. Among 

 these surveys may be mentioned that of the quick- 

 silver mining-districts of California, of the Silver 

 cliff and other mining-districts of Colorado, and the 

 surveys for tracing out the shore-lines of the fossil 

 lakes of western Nevada and Oregon. 



N'ational mnsema. 

 Telegraphic announcement of thttstranding of large 

 marine animals. — A short time ago the men at the 

 different life-saving stations along the entire coast 

 were instructed by Supt. Kimball to telegraph to 

 Washington the stranding of any large marine ani- 



