DECEMBER 17, 1897.] 
before us he has gathered many of these articles 
together, added others not heretofore published, 
and appended thirty pages of vocabularies of 
the native tongues, specimens of Indian music 
and various statistical matter (rainfall, culture 
products, etc.). 
The descriptions of travel and of the manners 
of the present inhabitants are vivid and well 
told, but for scientific purposes the articles on the 
native population will have the higher interest. 
‘These embrace a discussion on the independent 
native States in Yucatan, the commercial rela- 
tions of the Indian tribes in northern Central 
America, the present Indian geographical names 
in the same area, the ruins of aboriginal] towns 
and fortresses there found, the music and dances 
of the existing tribes, and special articles on the 
Lacandons and Kekchis, two branches of the 
Maya family which Dr. Sapper had unusual 
opportunities to observe. 
The information he gives on all these subjects 
is abundant and drawn from his own studies. 
Especially his article on the architectural prin- 
ciples indicated in the ancient ruins, and the 
connection of the culture areas which they in- 
dicate, is replete with new and instructive sug- 
gestions. Itis amply illustrated by a number 
of. designs in the text. 
The maps are eight in number and show 
respectively the location of volcanoes, the dis- 
tribution of vegetation forms, the elevation of 
land, the cultivation of commercial plants, the 
extension of languages, the independent Indian 
tribes, the native names and the ancient ruins 
of northern Central America. 
In the final paper of the volume the author 
ventures on the important question as to the 
original seat of the Mayan culture and language. 
He gives substantial reasons for saying it was 
not Yucatan, which peninsula he thinks was 
first occupied by the Mayas about the fifth cen- 
tury of our era; nor wasit Guatemala, Tabasco, 
or the territory of the Huastecas, north of Vera 
‘Cruz ; but most likely the highlands of Chiapas 
(in which he agrees with ‘Dr. Schellhas). He 
considers the adoption by the Mayas of a 
sedentary and agricultural life to date from a 
remote antiquity, and conclusively disproves 
the prevalent notion that it was originated or 
deeply modified by either ‘Toltecs’ or Nahuas. 
SCIENCE. 
921 
The extended vocabularies include a large 
number of ‘culture words’ from the Mayan 
dialects, and were in great part collected by 
himself. They add considerably to the value 
of this excellent work. 
D. G. BRINTON. 
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
Wild Neighbors. By ERNEST INGERSOLL. New 
York, The Macmillan Co. 8vo. Pp. xii+301. 
29 illustrations. $1.50. ; 
Mr. Ingersoll’s ‘Wild Neighbors’ are some 
of our native mammals, the red and gray squir- 
rels, panther, coyote, badger, porcupine, skunk, 
woodchuck, raccoon, and incidentally many 
others, with which the author endeavors to 
make us better acquainted through interesting 
accounts of their habits. The biography of 
each species contains some descriptive notes 
and extended life histories, covering general 
habits, distribution, economic importance, and 
comparison with other species. The skunks of 
the genus Mephitis are compared with the mink, 
the European polecat, the stinking badger of 
East India, the honey badgers of South Africa, 
and our more closely related genera, Conepatus 
and Spilogale. One chapter is devoted to ‘the 
service of tails, their use and importance to 
various creatures,’ and is extended to include 
birds, reptiles, insects and crustaceans, as well 
asmammals. One is given to animal training 
and animal intelligence and deals mainly with 
domesticated species and those of the menagerie, 
discussing their capacity for learning. 
The work brings together many interesting 
facts from the lives of our best known mammals 
in a popular style, with technicalities carefully 
omitted. To those who have had little to do 
with mammals or mammal literature it will 
prove new and interesting, a great part being 
taken by direct or indirect quotation from the 
works of Audubon and Bachman, Kennicott, 
Lord, Goode, Thoreau, Burroughs, Coues, Allen, 
Roosevelt, Merriam, Hornaday, Bicknell and 
many other well known authors. Unsortunately, 
however, less reliable sources have been drawn 
upon also and many misleading statements are 
made. The reader is told that the Eastern chip- 
munk (Tamias striatus) is now conceded to be the 
only species ranging between the Atlantic and 
