180 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 189. 



cause the island of Jamaica, but little more 

 than 100 miles distant, is without evidence 

 of such a very recent uplift. To a certain 

 extent the two islands have had a different 

 geologic history. 



The extreme recency, geologically speak- 

 ing, of the uplift of Cape Maysi is indicated 

 by the perfection of the terraces. They 

 have suffered pi'actically no sub-aerial ero- 

 sion. Although the land is a comparatively 

 steep slope, constituting a very favorable 

 situation for erosion, no gutters, ravines 

 or valleys were seen from the ocean, with 

 two exceptions. Even these exceptions tell 

 of the newness of the land surface. They 

 are two deep narrow caflons formed by 

 streams flowing down over the terraced 

 slope. Where exposed on the precipitous 

 face of one of the large raised sea-cliffs, the 

 canons are just as narrow at the top as at 

 the bottom. 



I am inclined to believe that the begin- 

 ning of this series of unsteady or periodic 

 uplifts of the eastern end of Cuba belongs 

 later in the geological scale than the open- 

 ing of the Modern or present period, and 

 it is continuing at the present day. The 

 sea is now engaged in forming a sea-cliff 

 and narrow submarine shelf precisely like 

 the raised shore-lines above it. In not a 

 very long time, perhaps a few hundred 

 years, another incipient uplift will be due 

 and another and lower bench begun. 



These few remarks have been given to 

 stimulate the study of this eastern Cuban 

 region, which will result in some important 

 additions to our knowledge of West Indian 

 geology. Undoubtedly other travelers have 

 noticed these beautiful terraces on Cape 

 Maysi and studied them from passing ships, 

 as I have, but a landing should be ef- 

 fected on the coast and a close examination 

 of them made, particularly of the two dark 

 canons above mentioned. 



OscAE H. Heeshey. 



June 24, 1898. 



CURRENT NOTES ON ANTEROPOLOGY. 

 AECHIVE OF THE SCIENCE OF EELIGION. 



The second number of this journal con- 

 firms the favorable opinion created by its 

 first issue. 



Professor Siecke, of Berlin, begins a pro- 

 found study of the god Rudra in the Eig 

 Veda (the Vedic prototype of Siva), and 

 one by Dr. Waser on the Greek Charon. 

 Professor Steinthal discusses the associa- 

 tions of the toad in mythology, while the 

 editor, Dr. H. Achelis, considers the theory 

 of the origin of religion from social psy- 

 chology. Several reviews close the num- 

 ber, one a note upon ' kyanthropy,' or the 

 transformation of the human into the dog 

 form. This is allied to the better known 

 ' lycanthropy,' but is familiar even in Amer- 

 ican folk-lore, where the ' black dog ' is still 

 regarded as the uncanny embodiment of 

 the Evil One. The article reviewed is by 

 Roscher in the Transactions of the Saxon 

 Society of Sciences. The Archiv is published 

 by J. C. B. Mohr, Leipzig. 



AECH^OLOGY OF COESICA. 



A EEPOET by M. Caziot in the Bulletin of 

 the Paris Anthropological Society (1897, 

 Ease. 5) contains new information on the 

 archaeology of Corsica. 



Neither the caverns nor the fields yield 

 traces of palseolithic man ; but numbers of 

 axes in polished stone, points of arrows and 

 lances, scrapers and hammers show that in 

 neolithic times the island was inhabited. 



Pure native copper occurs in the moun- 

 tains, and was exploited during the neo- 

 lithic epoch. The quarries are still found, 

 and many objects in pure copper must be 

 referred to the late stone age. To this time, 

 also, are attributed the dolmens and ancient 

 graves where inhumation was practiced. 

 Pottery in that epoch was scarce and rarely 

 made. 



Following the close of the polished stone 

 age, those of bronze and of iron are dis- 



