September i6, 1892.] 



SCIENCE. 



163 



4. The general trend, has been south, south-east, and south- 

 west, but frequently deflected east and west by ranges and pre- 

 existing valleys. The great Flathead glacier west of 114° shows 

 a length of 150 miles from boundary. Along a line 150 miles 

 south of boundarj', which rapidly swings to the north as we go 

 westward, the lower limits (moraines) of this series of glaciers is 

 evident. To the south of these the glaciers have had a northerly 

 trend, forming a series of valleys running north and south. 

 Short glaciers, radiating from local heights, as at Libby, and 

 Missoula and various other places, were common. Some of these 

 have no doubt been persistent for some time since the glacial 

 period proper. 



5. With the recession of the glaciers the lakes were drained to 

 the west. 



6. Existing glacial lakes are four or five in number. They are 

 rock-basins eroded no doubt greatly before the glacial period. 

 In nearly all cases they are danmicd by terminal moraines. 



7. The area touched upon is 300 miles (E. and W.) by 100-150 

 miles (N. and S.). The fall being to the west and south as 

 noted ; on the map it may be found from the 49th parallel on the 

 north to the 47th on the south, from the Rockies (main range on 

 east) to Idaho boundary-line. 



8. Terraced valleys of much interest occur, but to which no de- 

 tailed study has been given. 



Acer saccliarinum var. nigrum (Sugar Maple). 



THE SHRINKAGE OF LEA.VES. 



By E. E. BOGUE. 



Probably every maker of botanical specimens has observed 

 that the leaves when dry are smaller than when fresh. The wish 

 to know how much the shrinkage might be led to the following 

 measurements. The leaves were measured before they had 

 wilted, and after they were perfectly dry. 



The longest dimensions were taken in each case. The width 

 or dimension across the midrib is first given in each case; the first 

 column shows the measurements when fresh, and the second 

 column the measurements when dry. All measurements are given 

 in inches and parts of an inch. 



The leaves were pressed enough to keep them from wrinkling. 

 A piece the size of a mounting-sheet (Hi X 16^) was cut from a 

 leaf of the Nelumbo, and was found to decrease from that size to 

 11 X ISyV- 1-'' "'•11 ^^ ^^^'^ ^^^^ '''^^ least shrinkage was in the 

 Indian turnip (the measurements here referring to leaflets), and the 

 greatest shrinkage in the water-lily. Petioles of the sugar-maple 

 were measured and ranged from 3f to 4/jj in length, but were 

 shortened by drying, if at all, less than i\. 



It will be noticed that in the velvet leaf the small immature 

 one decreased more even than the largest one. 



Ohio State TJulverslty, Sept. 10. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



Pre-Aino Race in Japan. 



I MUCH regret that Prosessor Morse should think that I have 

 intentionally misrepresented or carelessly disregarded his views 

 concerning the pre-Aino occupancy of Japan, as he rather vigor- 

 ously maintains in Science of Sept. 9. It can scarcely be said that 

 I have claimed for myself the discovery that there was a race of 

 people in Jajian before the Ainos, The most I have endeavored 

 to show is the possibility, — I do not even go so far as to suggest 

 the probability, — that the pre-Aino inhabitants of Japan may have 

 been the people who dug the pits in Yezo. 



As regards the Aino occupancy of Japan, Professor Morse will 

 find that the "historical records'' of the country, which he men- 

 tions, have not been disregarded in my article, and, in fact, the 

 evidences of the shell heaps are, to my mind, the least convincing 

 of any, until the fact of the Aino origin of them is established. 

 It is the historical evidence, the distribution of geographical place- 

 names, and, last but not least, Japanese tradition? which are at 

 present the strongest evidences in this connection. 



An author may be criticised for sins of omission, and even for 



