March 27, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



507 



variability in nature suggests that they would 

 vary into desirable forms under cultivation 

 and selection. 



Among the duckweeds are the most minute 

 of the flowering plants, and it would add in- 

 terest to one's pond to have in it a plant 

 which, flower and all, is no larger than a 

 pinliead. Our two species of Wolffla are in- 

 teresting on this account. 



Another interesting minute form, Wolffiella 

 floridiana, usually escapes observation both on 

 account of its small size and its habit of being 

 usually submersed. It consists of small strap- 

 shaped fronds which frequently cohere, form- 

 ing stellate objects. This plant would find 

 plenty of room in a saucer and the growing 

 of it might lead to interesting observations as 

 the flower and fruit are as yet unknown. 



M. 0. Maesh, 

 Recording Secretary 



THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY OP WASHINGTON 



At the meeting of January 7, 1908, Dr. D. 

 S. Lamb exhibited a calvarium showing 

 ostitis deformans, a disease found only in the 

 white race, and anthropologically interesting. 



Doctor H. Pittier read a paper on " The 

 Native Tribes of Costa Rica." Doctor Pittier 

 described the general conditions of environ- 

 ment governing the natives of Costa Pica and 

 stated that the tribes at present are as numer- 

 ous as in early times. A brief account was 

 given of the customs of the natives. 



Mr. G. N. Collins illustrated with slides his 

 " Notes on the Indians of Chiapas." The 

 Soki and Tzotzil Indians of Pantepec were 

 especially referred to and a brief account 

 given of the modes of subsistence, architec- 

 ture, arts and customs. 



Dr. 0. P. Cook, in his paper " Notes on 

 Guatemalan Indians," spoke of the great num- 

 ber of natives in that country. The Indians 

 of Alta Vera Paz were particularly examined. 

 Many slides illustrating the deforesting, re- 

 foresting, cornfields and cottonfields were 

 shown. Doctor Cook believes that the high 

 interior did not encourage habitation till com- 

 paratively recent times. A series of views 

 illustrating the cotton cloth industry was re- 



ceived with interest. The appearance and 

 customs of the Kekchi and Cahabon Indians 

 inhabiting this portion of Guatemala were 

 discussed. Walter Hough, 



General Secretary 



the BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



The 44th meeting was held November 23, 

 1907. Vice-president Piper presided and 

 twenty-three members were present. 



The first paper, by Dr. E. E. B. MeKenney, 

 " Botanical and Other Notes on Bocas del 

 Toro," was a description of the plant life of 

 the province of the republic of Panama bor- 

 dering the Caribbean Sea, adjacent to the 

 republic of Costa Pica, and an account of 

 banana culture in that region. 



The conditions on the two sides of the 

 isthmus are quite different. On the Atlantic 

 side there is no distinct dry season, but less 

 rain falls in February and March than in the 

 latter part of the year. In the winter months 

 the average temperatures vary from 88° F. to 

 92° or 93°, and in the summer months from 

 92° to 95°, with the minimum temperatures 

 of 60° and 65° respectively. In the Pacific 

 province of Chiriqui, which is separated from 

 Bocas del Toro by the mountain range form- 

 ing the backbone of the isthmus, the tempera- 

 ture ranges are nearly the same, but there is 

 a distinct dry season during five or six months 

 of the year when the vegetation becomes 

 parched and dry. The pastures are burned 

 over annually. On the Atlantic side the vege- 

 tation is luxuriant, with almost impenetrable 

 jungles, mangrove swamps along the seacoast 

 and thickets of giant stemless palms; and 

 farther inland forests of palms and exogenous 

 trees of many species overgrov?n with aroids 

 and other climbers. On the Pacific side there 

 are stretches of grass and sharply outlined 

 patches of shrubbery, agaves and various 

 genera of cactus. 



The most important industry of Bocas del 

 Toro is banana culture. Formerly many 

 hawks-bill turtles were caught in the adjacent 

 waters for the sake of their shells, and fifteen 

 years ago the exportation of tortoise shell 

 from this region was commercially important. 

 Settlers attracted by the turtle fisheries began 



