236 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
and broad leaves like those of the tiger-lily—all freely, naturally and gracefully 
drawn. At each corner of the room a bird clings to one of these branches. Then 
comes a space—bordered at the top by another row of leaves—in which is repre- 
sented a whole aquarium, as if the room were lined with tanks. There are differ- 
ent sorts of shells and aquatic plants lying at the bottom of the water, and swim- 
ming in or onit all kinds of fish, jelly-fish, ducks and swans, admirably sketched 
with a light yet firm touch. The ripples made by the swimming ducks are indi- 
cated, and one duck is just flying into the water with a splash. On each side of 
the niche this amusing aquarium is enlivened by a special incident. To the left a 
large octopus has caught a monstrous mureenal (lamprey)—which turns around to 
bite—in its tentacles ; to the right fine lobster has pierced another murzenal through 
and through with its long hard feelers or horns. ‘These creatures are painted in 
the natural colors very truthfully. On the left wall above the fishes, are two 
sphinxes, supporting on their heads square marble vases, on the brim of each of 
which sits a dove. Behind the niche, and on the left side of the room, runs a 
little gallery with a corridor underneath, lighted by small square holes in the bor- 
der of hanging branches. The wall of this gallery behind the niche is decorated 
witha woodland landscape, in which, on one side, is represented a bull running 
frantically away with a lion clinging to his haunches ; on the other, a horse lying 
struggling on his back, attacked by a leopard; all nearly the size of life. On each 
side of the doorway is painted respectively, a graceful doe and a bear. ‘The other 
rooms are also very beautiful; one with a splendidly elegant design on a black 
ground; in another a small frescoe representing a man pouring wine out of an 
amphora into a large vessel. The bathrooms are large and elegant, the cold bath 
spacious and of marble. In one room a corner is dedicoted to the dares and 
penates, and in the fresco decoration, among the usual serpents, etc., I noticed 
the singular figure of a Bacchus or bacchante, entirely clothed with large grapes. 
In one of the mosaic pavements is a head of Medusa, the colors very bright and 
well preserved. As some of the ruins are only excavated to within two or three 
feet of the floor, it is possible that many valuable ornaments or statuettes may yet 
be found, as everything indicates that this splendid house belonged to some rich 
citizen.” —London News. 
INTERESTING DISCOVERIES IN CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO. 
Ever since archeologists began the study of the origin, habits, mode of liy- 
ing and cause of the mysteriously complete disappearance of that strange race 
of people which we moderns call ‘‘Mound Builders,” the absence of any pic- 
tured or written record from their hands has proved the rock in the way which 
stopped all further inquiry, almost at the entrance door to their charmed history. 
Thoroughly scientific and able men have studied the subject carefully and closely 
from the basis of the discoveries made of earthworks, utensils, weapons and or- 
