1878. ] Scientific News. 57 5 
SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
— Under the title of Die Vereinigten Staaten von Nord 
Amerika, Erster Band. Aan ei Geographie und Natur 
character, Dr. F. Ratzel, of München, has written a voluminous 
octavo of 667 pages, illustrated with five colored maps. After 
discussing the geology and physical geography, the author 
describes in a general way our river-systems and lakes, with the 
climate, and under the caption of the epesble world, the rela- 
tions of the vegetation and climate to those of Europe and Asia, 
the distribution of our forests, prairies and plains or steppes; in 
two appendices the author enters into the vexed question of the 
origin of prairies, and other botanical subjects. The last chapter . 
is devoted to the animals of the United States, giving a general 
view of the distribution of animal life, and a view of our charac- 
teristic mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibia and fishes, molluscs, : 
insects and lower an nimals; and the work closes with a series of 
sketches of our forest scenery, the Hudson river, the scenery of 
New England, the Alleghenies, the pine barrens, the Floridian 
tropical scenery, Niagara Falls, and a glance at the Roc 
Mountains and California. 
— The first Annual Report of the U. S. Entomological Com- 
mission has recently made its appearance, and forms a volume of 
about 750 ages, e main report contains chapters on a 
variety of subjects, and is copiously illustrated with lithographic 
plates, three maps and woodcuts. Naturalists will perhaps be 
interested in the chapters on the distribution, metamorphosis and 
anatomy of the locust. The report is mainly practical in its 
further appropriation was made at the last session of Congress 
for the completion of the work. 
— In view of publishing a work on the Antiquity of Smoking 
and the Aboriginal Art of Pipe Making, Mr. E. A. Barber, West 
Chester, Pa., requests the co-operation of archzologists. Any 
notes, references, accurate sketches, with explanations, or other 
information bearing on the subject, will be thankfully received 
and fully credited. Drawings, cuts, or photographs of unique or 
odd pipes, snuff-boxes, etc., of aboriginal tribes, are more espe- 
cially desired. The object of the work will be a more careful 
review of the history of smoking and its dissemination among 
different peoples, particularly among pre-historic nations. 
— A finely illustrated work, entitled ae pent 
orum in statis Sueciz Siluricis fossilium ctore N. P. elin. 
_ Opus postumum edendum curavit Regia Acsdenia Scarce 
Suecica, Cum tabulis xxis, Holmiz, 1878, will interest American _ 
students of Silurian Crinoids. There are thirty-four pages of © 
text, and the twenty-nine folio plates are. beautifully draen, ie 
