ode 
246 General Notes. { March, 
two papers in Vol. iv, No. 1, of Transactions, entitled, “ The Geo- 
logical and Geographical Distribution of the Human Race,” by 
the Hon. Nathaniel Holmes, and “ Zoque, the language spoken at 
Santa Maria de Chemalapa, and at San Miguel and Terra Blanca, 
in the State of Chiapas, a by Antonio de Coruna y Col- 
ludo, translated by J. A. D 
The mem ory of “leascnt aa passed with our friends during 
the meeting of the American Association in 1878, and of the 
valuable collections which they have made at great expense, is re- 
awakened by the appearance of these two volumes, The paper 
of Judge Holmes is in the nature of a lecture upon the origin and 
‘early migrations of our race. Starting out with Mr. Wallace’s 
six zoological provinces; Palzearctic, Oriental, Australian, African, 
Nearctic, and Neotropical, it is assumed, “ that man’s distribution 
over the earth must have pursued an analogous course, under the 
threefold operation of evolution, migration over continuous areas, 
and extinction in some areas.””’ The author considers it scientific- 
ally demonstrated that man existed in Europe in the Miocene 
period. After passing in review the Canstadt, Cromagnon and 
Furfooz races of western Europe, Judge Holmes turns aside to ~ 
combat Professor Dawkins’ theories concerning the post-tertiary 
origin’ of man and the identity of the Eskimo with the cave- 
dwellers of Dordogne. 
s to our own country, it is held that the earliest existence of 
our race, was in the Pliocene of the Pacific coast, and that they 
progressed to the Atlantic border when the land communication 
was established across the continent, Theisubject of bands of color 
coordinated with other anes characteristics, of the pristine home 
and the migrations of men, the causes of racial differences, the 
peopling of America, and “of plurality of origins are thoughtfully 
considered. 
The Zoques were once a powerful nation, extending from Te- 
huantepec through Tabasco and Chiapas i into Oaxaca, now num- 
bering from 2500 to 3000. At present they are confined to a small 
district and two mean villages,Santa Maria de Chemalapa and 
San Miguel. Their language belongs to the Maya-Quiche, most 
nearly related to the Tzendal-Maya. Three pages of vocabulary 
accompany the paper on the Zoques. 
The work of Professor Potter and Dr. Evers is destined to become . 
a classic upon the archeology of Southwestern. Missouri. We 
have in their monograph a neat quarto resembling very much in 
outward appearance the Smithsonian separate Contributions to 
Knowledge, and containing: 1. A paper on the archeological 
remains in south-western Missouri, by Professor W. B. pier? 
which is a model of brevity and precision (pages 5-19); 2 
paper on the ancient pottery of south-eastern Missouri, by Dr. 
Edward Evers, which is exceedingly cautious as to its theories 
(pages 21-30); 3. At the — of the text are five maps to illus- 
