29: 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XX. No. 511 



The industry, commerce, and social organization of men in the 

 Stone Age are inferred from a variety of evidence, and form the 

 subject of an interesting chapter. The care which they evidently 

 took of the wounded reflects favorably both on their kindness and 

 skill. A chapter on fortifications concludes with an excellent 

 summary of Dr. Schliemann's investigations on the site of ancient 

 Troy. 



In handling such a mass of material a few errors naturally 

 creep iu. It is not correct to say (p. 31) that "the mounds of 

 North America contain none but copper implements and orna- 

 ments," as ornaments of gold, silver, and meteoric iron are not 

 unfrequent. So (on p. 76) the writer says that the ancient canoes 

 " mu-it have been worked by means of oars," and seems surprised 

 too at the absence of rowlocks. Of course, paddles, not oars, 

 were tbe means of propulsion. It is difficult to perceive what he 

 means by this extraordinary passage on p. 219 — '' The most an- 

 cient settlements of Malabar contain iron tridents, and Genesius 

 (sio) dates their use from before the deluge. It is, therefore, 

 surprising to find that some races remained for an illimitable 

 time ignorant of the way to procure a metal of such great 

 utility." This sounds like eighteenth century science. But these 

 are slight blemishes on a book of singular merit in its composi- 

 tion and unusually beautifully printed and illustrated. 



Alaskana, or Alaska in Descriptive and Legendary Poems. By 



BusHROD W. James. 368 p. Illustrated. Philadelphia, 



Porter & Coates. 



If Professor James had not had the unfortunate idea that he 



is a poet, he would have written a book of considerable interest, 



as he has visited various localities in Alaska and has read several 



works about that country. As it is, he gives us 360 solid pages 



of verses in the meter of "Hiawatha," with ''some slight improve 



nients," as the announcement of the publishers modestly puts it, 



describing the natives, the scenery, the seals, the sunsets, and the 



stories, which he has by the above means found out about. 



It would be unfair not to supply a sample of his poetry, which 

 we select at random from his canto or fy tte on the Alaskan native 

 tribes : — ■ 



The Oranans take precedence, 

 Classed as Esquimaux or Innuits, 

 Dark Creoles, and sturdy Aleuts — 

 These hold close along the sea-board. 

 Claiming nearly all the coast-line 

 And the islands near adjoining; — 

 Save where here and there the Indians 

 Have and hold small coast possessions 

 Which they won by force or cunning. 



Really, was it worth while to put capital letters at the head of 

 these lines ? And are there people who will read 360 pages of such ? 

 If so, human nature has certain qualities of patience or kindliness 

 for which we did not give it sufficient credit. 



There are a number of photogravures in the volume, very nicely 

 done, and, as far as type and paper go, it is a creditable specimen 

 of the publisher's taste, and looks as if it was intended to be a 

 " Holiday book." 



Experiments Arranged for Students in General Chemistry. By 

 Edgar F. Smith and Harry F. Kellar. Philadelphia, T. 

 Blakiston, Son & Co. 8°. 57 p., with alternate leaves 

 blank for notes. 



This series of exercises, based on the authors' experience with 

 their own classes, is intended to accompany any convenient text- 

 book of inorganic chemistry ; but reference is made to that of 

 Richter. Beginning with fundamental operations (as with blow- 

 pipe, glass tubing, balance, and graduates) and general principles. 

 (as the difference between chemical and physical change) the- 

 course proceeds to the study of hydrogen and other non-metals in 

 Part I. , followed by the metals in Part II. Quantitative relations 

 are well presented iu the experimental work and stoichiometrical 



CALENDAR OF SOCIETIES. 

 Philosophical Society, Washington. 

 Nov. 12. -J. P. Iddings, Geology of the 

 Crazy Mountains; H. W. Turner, Lavas of 

 Mount Ingalls; W. H. Dall, Dates of Publi- 

 cation of Conrad's Monographs of Tertiary 

 Fossils. 



Anthropological Society, Washington. 



Nov. 15. — Warren K. Moorehead, Xenia, 

 O., Singular Copper Objects from Ancient 

 Mounds in Ohio; James Mooney, Lester F. 

 Ward, W. H. Holmes, W. Hallet Phillips, 

 \V. H. Babcock, and Frank Baker, Geo- 

 graphic Nomenclature of the District and 

 Vicinity, a Symposium. 



Society of Natural History, Boston. 



Nov. 16. — Wan-en Upham, The Origin of 

 Drumlins ; Professors Shaler and Davis, On 

 the Origin of Drumlins. 



The Civil Service Commission will hold 

 examinations on Nov. 39 to fill two vacancies 

 in the Quartermaster-General's OlBce, one 

 in the position of assistant civil engineer, 

 at a salary of |1,200, the other in the posi- 

 tion of architectural draftsman, at a salary 

 of $1,400. An application blank and infor- 

 mation as to the subjects of the examination 

 may be obtained of the U. S. Civil Service 

 Commission, Washington, D.C. 



Reading Matter Notices. 



Ripans Tabules cure hives. 

 Ripans Tabules cure dyspepsia. 



Exchanges 



[Freeof charge to all, if ofsatisfactory character. 

 Address N. D. C. Hodges, S74 Broadway, New York.l 



For exchange. — Fine specimens of Wis. fresh- 

 water pearls. I want books or papers on marine 

 and fresh-water alg£e ; also classified specimens of 

 same. I will exchange for Smithsonian reports or 

 crystallized minerals. D. M. ANDBEWS, Dodge 

 Centre, Minn. 



For Sale or Exchange. — The undersigned has a 

 lot of first-class duplicate bird's skins and sets of 

 eggs, both rare and common, for sale or acceptable 

 exchange. Also about two hundred second class 

 skins and five hundred eggs, suitable for study 

 specimens, at very low figures. The latter, for 

 starting a collection, are as good as the best, em- 

 bracing all classes and nearly all families Also 

 about forty species of fossils, principalis De- 

 vonian. MORRIS (JIBBS, M.D., Kalamazoo. Mich. 



For Exchange — ''The Birds of Kansas,"— Goss, for 

 Gray's Anatomy, or Medical Dictionary. Must be 

 in good condition. Address, J. H. SIMPSON, Buch- 

 tel College. Akron, Ohio. 



For t^ale or Exchange. — The subscriber would 

 like to receive cash offers, or an offer in exchange 

 for the earlier volumes of Poggendorf's Annalen 

 and the later volumes of Silliman's Journal, upon 

 the following list: Chenn — Manuel de Conchylio- 

 logi6. y vols. Nearly 5,000 figures, some hand-col- 

 ored. Paper. Paris, lysO. Edwards. — Butterfiies 

 of N, A. 8 vols. Plates hand-colored. Vol. I., half 

 calf. Vol. II. in parts. Leyman, Agassiz, Hagen. — 

 Ills. Cat. Mus. Comp. Zooi. at Harvard. No. I. 

 Ophiuridae. No. II., Acalephae. No. III., Astacidae. 

 All bound in one volume. American Naturalist. 

 Vols. I. -VII. Cloth. Silliman's Am. Jour, of 

 Science and Arts. Third Series. Vols. I.-X. Cloth. 

 Binney. — Terrestrial MoUusks of N. A. Colored 

 plates. 4 vols. Stretch.— Zygaenidae and Bomby- 

 cidae of N. A. Colored plates. Also a considerable 

 library of monographs, reports, and scientific 

 books, and a large Dumber of duplicates of fossils, 

 minerals and shells. E. A. STRONG, Ypsilanti, 

 Mich., Sept., 1892. 



Wants. 



A POSITION is desired in the South, preferablr 

 the Gulf States, where I can teach the sciences 

 Can also instruct in other branches. Salary only 

 nominal, as I am simply desirous of employment 

 while spending the winter in the South. A private 

 family preferred, but will accejt regular school 

 work if not too confining. MORRIS GIBBS, M.D ,. 

 Kalamazoo, Mich. 



WANTED. — By well - qualified and experienced 

 science master and associate of the Royal 

 School of Mines, London, aged 26 (at present in 

 England), a mastership in technical college or uni- 

 versity for any of the following subjects: Engineer- 

 ing sciences, geology and mineralogy, physics, chem- 

 istry and nretallurgy, etc.. etc. Can provide excel- 

 lent reEerences and credentials. Apply, J. G., 17 

 Sussex St., Rochdale, England. 



METALLURGICAL CHEMIST will give instruc- 

 tion in the metallurgy and chemical analysis 

 of iron and steel. Complete or special courses ap- 

 plyingto the manufacture of pig irons and steels, as- 

 well as to their uses. Address " METALLURGIST,''^ 

 care Science. 



AGRADOATE of the University of Pennsylvania 

 and a practical mineralogist of twenty years' 

 experience desires to give his services and a cabi- 

 net of 25,000 specimens, all named, with about the 

 same number of duplicates, in minerals, crystals, 

 rocks, gems, fossils, shells, archaiological and ethno- 

 logical specimens and woods to any institution de- 

 siring a fine outfit for study. The owner will in- 

 crease the cabinet to 50,000 specimens in two years; 

 and will act as curator. Correspondence solicited 

 from any scientific institution. J. W. Hortter, 

 M.D., Ph.D., San Francisco, Cal., General P. O. 

 Delivery. 



CHEMIST AND ENGINEER, graduate German 

 Polytechnic, Organic and Analytical, desires a 

 position in laboratory or chemical works. Address. 

 213><; E. 7th Street, New York, care Levy. 



The American Geologist for 1893. 



Edited by Prof. S. Calvin, University of Iowa; Dr. E. W. Claypole, Buchtel College; John Eyerman, 

 Lafayette College; Dr. Peksifor Frazer. Penn. Hort. Soc; Prof F. W. Cragin. Colorado College; 

 Prof. Rob't T. Hill, U. S. Irrigation Survey; Dr. Andrew C. Lawson, University of California; Frank 

 D.Knowlton, U. S. National Museum; Joseph B. Ttrrell, Geol. Sur.of Canada; E. O. Ulrich, Minnesota. 

 Geological Survey: Prof. I. C. White, University o£ West Virginia; Prop. N. H. Winohell, University 

 of Minnesota. Now in its Xtb volume. $3 50 per year. Sample copies. 20 cents. Address 



THE GEOLOGICAL PUBLISHING CO., MinneapoUs, Minn. 



