12 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. VUL, No. 178 



The writer was fortunate enough to observe a 

 flying-fish (on the 9th of April, 1886) moving in a 

 direction apparently parallel to that of the ship, and 

 with equal velocity. By means of a Casella anemom- 

 eter the velocity of the wind across the ship's deck 

 was found to be 13.6 feet per second, and its direction 

 was 20 degrees from ahead. 



Eeferring to fig. 2, & represents the ship ; c, the 

 fish ; and a, the angle of the wind. The true velocity 

 •of the fish through the air was then 13.6 X cos a = 

 12.78 feet per second. 



Let us take, for example, a specimen whose wings 

 and weights would be a mean between the three 

 specimens recorded. 



Let A represent the area of its wings in square 

 feet = 1-^11^ = 0.1234; V, its velocity in feet per 

 second = 12.78 ; A', the projected area of the wings ; 

 W, the weight of a cubic foot of air in pounds 

 = 0.075. 



In experiments with flying-machines (R. C. Buel, 

 in Appleton's Cyclopaedia of mechanics, vol. i. p. 53), 

 it has been ascertained that an angle of 54° 10" is 

 the most advantageous angle at which the vanes can 

 be placed (these vanes are similar to the wing-fins of 

 a flying-fish). Therefore A' = A X sin 54° 10" = -^^ 

 of a square foot, nearly. 



The force with which the air will be pressed down- 

 ward, or, what is equivalent, the lifting-power of 

 these wings moving at V velocity, will be — g"- — • 



Substituting the numericals above recorded, we 

 have ^-i^^M^^^M!?^ 0.0190507 pounds, or about 

 ^j^=-g the weight of the fish in question. 



The method of catching flying-fish on board the 

 Albatross affords a means of observing some of their 

 motions. When our submarine (Edison's) lamp is 

 lowered a few inches below the surface of the water, 

 these fish often approach it gradually. On such oc- 

 casions they invariably have their pectorals and 

 ventrals extended, but do not appear to use them as 

 organs of locomotion : on becoming alarmed, they 

 •close these fins, and dart forward suddenly. The 

 brilliancy of the electric light, no doubt, dazzles their 

 eyes greatly, for they do not appear to see objects 

 near them, and, when alarnaed by the splash of the 

 scoop-net, dart right forward by use of the caudal 

 fin. Mr. Nye, quickly perceiving this habit, takes 

 advantage of it by plunging the net directly in front 

 of the fish, which he almost invariably catches. On 

 one occasion a fish turned in its flight, and projected 

 itself several feet vertically into the air, very close 

 to the side of the ship, working its wings vigorously, 

 which was distinctly seen by several people on deck. 

 G. W. Baird. 

 Passed Assistant Engineer, U.S.N. 

 Washington, June 34. 



An Indian snake-dance. 



I have received a clipping from the New York 

 Commercial advertiser containing a letter from a Mr. 

 Trumble in reference to the article on the ' snake- 

 dance ' of the Moki Indians of Arizona (Science, vii. 

 June 4). Mr. Trumble mentions the occurrence of 

 similar performances among several Central and 

 South American tribes, and discusses at some length 

 the antidotes used. This feature was only touched 

 upon in my paper for the reason that Dr. H. C. Yar- 

 xow of the army, who attended the dance at Wolpi 

 for the special purpose of identifying the species of 



snakes used, and of determining whether they had 

 been rendered innocuous, was present at the reading 

 of the paper, and was kind enough to discuss it at 

 some length. Perhaps the interest in the question 

 would justify a few remarks on that phase of the 

 subject. Dr. Yarrow identified four species of 

 snakes, only one of which, however, was poisonous, 

 — the spotted rattlesnake, or Crotalus confluentus. 

 He descended into the snake kiva on the eve 

 of the dance, and there examined the snakes 

 which were to be used on the morrow. At his re- 

 quest a large rattlesnake, selected by himself, was 

 held up for his examination by one of the Indians, 

 and, upon prying its mouth open, he found the fangs 

 intact and of large size. I may add, that, at the con- 

 clusion of the 1883 snake-dance, two rattlesnakes were 

 captured, and sent to the national museum. They 

 were examined soon after their arrival by Dr. S. 

 Weir Mitchell of Philadelphia, who found them in 

 perfect order : their fangs had not been disturbed, 

 and the poison-sacks were intact and full of venom. 



The snakes used in the dance undergo a very com- 

 plicated course of treatment in the kiva where they 

 are confined prior to their appearance in public. 

 They are washed repeatedly in various kinds of 

 ' medicine- water,' and are frequently handled or 

 stroked with a downward, squeezing movement of 

 the hand. Whether such treatment prolonged over 

 a period of five or six days is sufficient to render 

 innocuous a robust rattlesnake, is an open question. 

 Both Captain Bourke in bis book, and Dr. Yarrow 

 in his remarks, mention seeing a large rattlesnake 

 brought in from the fields on the day of the dance. 

 These, at least, must have been capable of inflicting 

 fatal wounds. 



The Indians have the greatest confidence in the 

 means they use to secure immunity. Dr. Yarrow, 

 in an interview he had with the high priest soon 

 after the dance, showed the old man a hypodermic 

 syringe and a solution of permanganate of potassium, 

 which he had brought along to use in case of neces- 

 sity, and explained to him their use. The old man 

 replied, "No doubt my brother's medicine is good, 

 but we are quite satisfied with our own." The per- 

 formers are very seldom bitten : I observed but one 

 instance at Wolpi, none at Mashongnavi. Others, 

 however, record two other instances at Wolpi, which 

 escaped my attention : in both of these cases the 

 bite was inflicted by non-venomous serpents. As the 

 number of snakes used at that dance was about 

 eighty, this is not a very high percentage. I am of 

 the opinion that the Mokis rely on the previous treat- 

 ment of the snakes, on their charms and incantations, 

 rather than on any after-treatment of themselves. 

 As Dr. Yarrow remarked, a snake which had been 

 repeatedly handled, and had discovered that no 

 injury was intended, would become comparatively 

 tame, and this would account for the behavior of 

 the snakes during the dance. In the hands of the 

 dancers, they seem numbed and lifeless, and it was 

 only when dropped rudely on the ground from the 

 mouths of the dancers that they showed any dis- 

 position to fight. 



The knowledge of the composition of the liquids 

 used by the Mokis is confined to one man, a high 

 priest ; even the members of the order are ignorant 

 of it : but, to provide against the loss of the secret, 

 the knowledge is shared with an old woman of the 

 tribe. The high priest keeps this knowledge to 

 himself until he is, or thinks he is, on his death-bed ; 



