Ukch 9, 1883. 



SCIENCE. 



151 



sum; in fact, there is very little difference between 

 the first and the last; yet one would hesitate to call 

 the folds on the opossum's tail scales. 



The claws are shown by their positions, structure, 

 and development to be homologous with those of 

 other vertebrates. Wattles, siJurs, and the bill seem 

 to be special formations. 



Mr. Jeffries finally stated that he liad been unable 

 to find any resemblance between the papillae in the 

 mouth and feathers; the papillae being comparable 

 with those of other vertebrates, and the jeiliform 

 structure found in the ducks being due to a lack of 

 development of certain epithelial cells. — {Bost. soc. 

 nat. hist. ; meeting Feb. 7. ) — [337 



Motor disturbances foUowring lesions of the 

 internal ear. — Operative difficulties have hitlierto 

 prevented any extended series of experiments on 

 mammalia in this connection. Vulpian lias lately 

 employed the method of injecting irritating liquids 

 into the external auditory meatus of rabbits. A few 

 drops of a 25 per cent solution of chloral hydrate in 

 water, when injected, cause motor disturbances with- 

 in fifteen minutes; these become more pronounced, 

 and next day attain a maximum ; the limbs are moved 

 with uncertainty in locomotion, and the animal fre- 

 quently falls; the head is twisted on the spinal column 

 so that the cheek of the side on which the injection 

 was made is turned upwards ; there are circus move- 

 ments towards the side of the operation; the animal 

 rolls over and over around its longitudinal axis; 

 there is nystagmus; and also the muscles of the two 

 eyeballs cease to be co-ordinated in their action, so 

 that one eye is turned upward and the other towards 

 the ground. Post-mortem examination showed no 

 • lesion in the brain cavity, but destruction of the 

 labyrinth so extensive that no statement as to any 

 specific connection of any one part of the internal 

 ear with the motor disturbances could be made. The 

 phenomena are much less marked when dogs are 

 substituted for rabbits. — [Comptes rendus, cxvi. 

 1883,90.) H. N. M. [338 



The carpal bones of Dinocerata. — During a 

 communication on the tarsus and carpus of the Dino- 

 cerata, Mr. Jacob L. Wortman referred to Prof. 

 Marsh's statement, that the scaplioides in the proximal 

 row of the carpus is supported below by the trapezium 

 and trapezoides, and that it does not touch the mag- 

 num. In the figure of the anterior foot, however, 

 which Prof. Marsh published witli this description, 

 he makes the scaphoides to articulate with the mag- 

 num, although stating directly to the contrary. The 

 spealiier liad recently made a careful study of the re- 

 mains of Uintatherium, belonging to Princeton col- 

 lege, and had found that the scaphoides does touch 

 the magnum ; thereby establishing tlie fact that Prof. 

 Marsh's figure is right, although his description 

 is wrong. The carpal bones, therefore, of the prox- 

 imal and distal rows form distinct interlocking 

 series ; indicating that the Dinocerata can no longer 

 remain as a sub-order of the Amblypoda, but must 

 be placed in the Diplarthra of Cope, wliich includes 

 the Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla, and corresponds 

 with the Ungulata of authors. — {Acad. nat. sc. 

 Pliilad.; meeting Feb. 20.) [339 



ANTHROPOLOGY. 

 Aborigines of Andaman islands. — In our 

 childhood we imbibe the opinion that African and 

 Negro are co-extensive; but ethnology acquaints us 

 with these two propositions, — not all Africans are Ne- 

 groes, and, not all Negroes are Africans. Tlie natives 

 of the Andaman islands, off the west coast of Farther 



India, are a woolly-haired black race, like the negrit- 

 tos of Malacca and the Philippines. Mr. E. H. Jttan, 

 who has lived among them, has been giving to tlie 

 British anthropological society a series of sketches 

 concerning them, the last of which appeared in a 

 late number of the journal. Many precious facts 

 respecting their language are presented. P'or in- 

 stance, they coin native compounds for new ideas : 

 as, aria, daily, and ik-y&'b, repetition, for prayer. 

 Tlieyhave a poetic dialect that subordinates to rhythm 

 the forms of words, and even sentential structure. 

 A very elaborate system of possessive pronominals is 

 in use. There are, of these, three princij^al classes: 

 1, for nouns denoting Imman objects; 2, for names 

 of parts of the body; 3, nouns of relationship. 

 Again, No. 2, has seven subclasses: I. Used with 

 names for head, brain, neck, chest, heart, etc. II. 

 With liand and foot, and their parts. III. With 

 shoulder, arm, breast, face, temple, etc. IV. With 

 body, back, thigh, calf, elbow, stomach, liver, etc. 

 V. With leg, hip, loin, bladder, etc. VI. With 

 mouth, chin, lip, throat, etc. VII. Only with waist. 

 Class 3 has eight subdivisions. 



The word-construction is both prepositional and 

 postpositional ; so much so tliat the two forms inter- 

 fere with each other's grammatio function. 



Owing to a singular practice of adoption, it is rare 

 to see a cliild above six or seven years residing with its 

 parents. It is considered a compliment for a married 

 man, after a visit, to ask his host for one of his 

 children. Indeed, the soi-disant father, may, on a 

 similar occasion, pass the child on farther, without 

 referring to the real parent. To prevent improj)er 

 flirtations among the lads and lassies, they paint the 

 suspected parties, one red, the other white : of course 

 they cannot mutually embrace without partially ex- 

 changing color. Marriage is forbidden among near 

 relatives. Eelationships are traced in both lines, 

 and the system with reference to either sex is identi- 

 cal; but the record fails after three generations. 



Children are named before they are born, after 

 some friend of the parent ; there being no distinction 

 of sex in these titles. As they grow up, a male or 

 female afiix is applied. At puberty the females re- 

 ceive the 'flower' name, after a plant blooming in 

 the month when tliat takes place. The young men 

 receive an epithet name. Between the eleventh and 

 the thirteenth years commences the initiatory absti- 

 nence from turtle, honey, pork, fish, and other clioses 

 defendues ; which lasts for a period of years, and is 

 broken at last with great ceremony and rejoicing. 

 Mr. Man takes occasion to correct a great many 

 marvellous stories about the unchastity and incon- 

 stancy of the Andainanese, and paints a very pretty 

 picture of their siraiJlicity and fidelity in matrimo- 

 nial matters. The marriage-ceremony is described 

 in charming style. 



Much ceremony is practised in the burial of the 

 dead; infants being deposited under the hearth of 

 the hut where they died, and adults upon a ' nia- 

 chan,' or platfoi'ra, in the jungle, or in a grave. 

 Temporary migrations in either case follow death, 

 in order to allow the spirit of the deceased full range 

 around the old haunts. After a proper time the dead 

 are exhumed, their bones cleaned and made into 

 jewelry and mementos. The belief in spirits is evi- 

 dent from the ceremonies accompanying interments. 



Friends, at meeting, stare at each other until the 

 younger spealis; relatives embrace, and liowl hide- 

 ously. For each particular kind of meeting there is 

 a special form of salutation, in which tears form the 

 cliief ingredient. 



Fire-making is unknown ; but the modes of pre- 



