1890.] Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 691 
data bearing on this subject is highly important, since the decrease in 
game may on as New Mexico is more and more thickly settled, and 
the hunting ceremonials be more or less modified as time goes on. 
I have not encountered in my experience in taking records with the 
phonograph any very great difficulty among the Zufiians. Their real 
impressions of the instrument it is very difficult to divine. One of them 
asked if a person was hidden in the machine, and another thought 
the phonograph bewitched. Indians are so stolid that it is very diffi- 
cult to discover what impression such a novel instrument as the phono- 
graph really makes. They are so accustomed to incomprehensible 
machines used by Americans that this last triumph of inventive genius 
affects them no more than many others which might be mentioned. 
Certainly they are not afraid of it, and there is no difficulty in getting 
them to talk into the instrument. The great difficulty in getting them 
to repeat their sacred songs and prayers does not come so much from 
their fear of the instrument as of secularizing what is sacred to them. 
They will readily respond with any of their secular songs, or with 
those sung in public, but those belonging to the secret ceremonials of 
the Estufa they will not divulge.—]. WALTER FEWKES, Zuni, New 
Mexico, July 5th, 1890. 
PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 
Biological Society of Washington.—May 31.—The following 
communications were read: Characteristics of the Halosauroids or 
Lyopomes ; Dr. Theo. Gill. Exhibition of Specimens of New Spe- 
cies of North American Mammals ; Dr. C. Hart Merriam. Cou/foredla 
a New Genus of Composite; Dr. J. N. Rose. Organisms in the St. 
Peter's Sandstone; Prof. Joseph F. James.—FrEDERIC A. Lucas, 
Secretary. 
Natural Science Association of Staten Island.—May 3, 
1890.— The following paper by Mr. Chas. W. Long was read: Staten 
Island Fire Flies.—No one will have failed to notice the abundance 
on Staten Island of the beetle commonly known as the firefly, As it 
is seen in early summer, in the words of Longfellow: 
“ Flitting cit dp the dusk x evening, 
With the twinkle of its candl 
Lighting up en ie beaten and Besen, 
it constitutes one of the peculiar charms of our latitude. It has been 
described by many a poet as well as naturalist, and those who have . 
