454 The American Naturalist. [May, 



of Pennsylvania, — a very promising series of well-printed little mono- 

 graphs on various subjects, issued at a most reasonable price. The 

 game of fan fan, or " that of repeatedly spreading out," is played in 

 a cellar or basement, a sentinel being stationed without the door to 

 give notice of the approach of danger. A second, of which the name 

 Pak kop piu signifies " the game of the white pigeon ticket," is played 

 in attics, pigeons being formerly employed to convey the tickets and 

 winning numbers from the offices to their patrons. This is really a 

 kind of lottery, and the assistants who prepare the papers are dignified 

 with the title of Sin' shang, literally " first born " the equivalent to 

 " Mr.," and the only title of respect used among the Chinese laborers 

 in America. Gamblers of this nationality, like all others, are very 

 superstitious, avoid the use of certain colors, and eat in silence the 

 suppers provided by the gambling companies. They propitiate the 

 gods with liberal offerings, and sometimes erect shrines in recognition 

 of a successful coup. Their love of games of chance, in Mr. Culm's 

 opinion, tends to give permanency to the Chinese settlements m 

 America, as they cluster round the gambling places in the large cities. 



