114 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



graphic divisions, water supply, etc., of the southern portion of Lower 

 California are given. (C.) 



"The Southwest Society of the Archaeolog-ical Institute of America; 

 Something- About Its Aims and Its Tirst Year's Wort. :Mr. Chas. F. 

 Lummis, tireless worker; faithful, persevering and efficient Secretary 

 of the local branch of this great scientific body; indefatigable, versatile 

 and consistent recorder and elaborator, has, in this illustrated reprint of 

 an article from Out "West, entitled "Old Art in America,'" given the his- 

 tory of the priceless Cabelleria collection of old Mission paintings, now 

 preserved through the efforts of the Southwest Societj-. The Executive 

 Committee of this young, but virile organization has sent this out as a 

 campaign publication, adding thereto a "Brief Summary" of the first year's 

 work of the Society. The thorough work being done in the phonographic 

 recording and the harmonizing of Indian and Mexican folk-songs, by 

 Messrs. Farwell and Lummis, the vigorous and scientific labors of Dr. 

 F. M. Palmer, the most modest, but most competent of local archaeolo- 

 gists, in collecting and arranging relics of earlier man in this region, and 

 the advanced stage of progress in the plans of the Execeutive Committee 

 towards the erection of a Museum in Los Angeles; all these and other 

 accomplishments of the Society in much less than one year are grounds 

 for great local pride. But when it is understood that no other branch of 

 the Institute has ever accomplished anything like this amount of work 

 in twice the same time, we are strongly admonished that the Southern 

 California Academj' of Sciences must look to its laurels at once. If here- 

 tofore, we have not believed enough in ourselves and have been too self- 

 confident of the worth of our aims, let us now pursue a more aggressive 

 policy and compel the attention of tliose who now neglect their abundant 

 opportunity to put where they rightfully belong the potent factors for 

 good in this community. 



The Quarterly issue of the Journal of the Archaeologrical Institute of 

 America, Vol. 'VIII, No. 3, is replete with details of discoveries in classical 

 archaeology \>y the American schools at Athens and Rome, maintained by 

 the Institute, and voluminous discussions of archaeologic questions, be- 

 sides numerous notes of recent work all over the world. Tliese invaluable 

 records are presented in good form and they add one more to the long 

 list of contributions to archaic science made by this vigorously active 

 organization. 



"El Area Cutaierta por la Ceniza del Volcan de Santa Maria, Octubre, 



1902," by Dr. Emil Boese. is the second paper of Vol. 1, Xo. 2, of Trans- 

 actions of Instituto Geologico de Mexico. He scores Dr. Gustav Eisen for 

 remarks regarding the distribution of ash by this volcano in Guatemala 

 In the eruption cited. In the region visited by the author, where Eisen 

 had given the depth from one inch to ten feet. Dr. Boese finds a maximum 

 of less than one foot, and in other places cited as important, the covering 

 varied from traces to considerably less than one-half inch (less than one 

 centimeter.) (C.) 



"Annals of Carneg-ie Museum, Pittsbiirg-h.^' Vol. II. Xo. 4, August, 1904, 

 contains article Xo. IX, and an appreciative memorial sketch of John Bell 

 Hatcher, whose death leaves a gap which no other student of vertebrate 

 paleontology can essay to fill. The sketch is by Dr. W. J. Holland, Direc- 

 tor of the Museum and Editor of its publications. Tlie bulk of the 

 volume is made up of an exhaustive treatise on "The Birds of Erie and 

 Pres(iue Isle, Erie County, Pennsylvania," by "W. E. C. Todd. We cannot 

 give space for a proper review of this important contribution to Science,, 

 but may note the strong tone of protest uttered by Mr. Todd against in- 

 discriminate hunting, rather slaughter, of birds, which occurs in his field 

 as in too many other districts in this country. 



Mining- Magazine, September, 1904. The continuation of the Pacific 

 Coast Miner as a monthly magazine is evidently meeting with favor, if 

 we may judge from the increased advertising patronage in this third 

 number under the new form. The articles are timely reviews by appro- 

 priate authorities on subjects interesting to those who cannot digest more 

 technical treatises for lack of time or preliminary training. For busy 

 engineers and otliers who need access to such technical articles, without 

 leisure or facilities for assorting from the mass of literature published, 

 a very complete mining index is given each month. This, and the able 

 Mining Digest, which constitutes a regular department, furnish just what 

 is required by amateur and professional in order to keep abreast of the 

 world's work in the mining field. The first issue, in July, was excellent, 

 but improvement may be detected in each succeeding output. 



