1890.] Geology and Paleontology. 949 
the seas, lakes, or rains. By virtue of these films the sand-grains be- 
come separated by elastic cushions of condensed gases, capable of 
considerable vibration, and whose thickness we have approximately 
determined. The extent of the vibrations, and the volume and pitch 
of the sounds thereby produced after any quick disturbance of the 
sand, we also find to be largely dependent upon the forms, structures, 
and surfaces of the sand-grains, and especially upon their purity or 
freedom from fine silt or dust. (Proceedings American Association 
Advancement Science, 38, 1889.) 
** I should be lacking in courtesy to close this without expressing my 
great obligations to Mr. H. P. Faye, of Mara, and to Mr. George S. 
Gay, of Niihau, for both a generous hospitality and a sympathetic as- 
sistance in carrying out my investigations.” 
The speaker exhibited photographs of the locality and a specimen 
of the sand. 
In his search after this remarkable sand, Dr. Bolton has had many 
interesting adventures. He thus describes his first discovery that such 
a thing as musical sand existed : 
*! I was walking along the ocean beach at a small place on the north- 
eastern coast of Massachusetts. Suddenly it seemed a dog was barking 
at me with a peculiar hoarse bark. I stopped and looked around, but 
the barking had ceased, and there was not a dog nor a living being 
near. I walked on, and the sound immediately began again. I was 
puzzled until I looked down and found that my steps in the sand 
caused the noises. I then gave a vigorous kick into the dry sand, and 
a prolonged, dismal howl answered me, as though I had kicked a dog. 
I was astounded. I called some boys to me, and asked them if they 
had ever noticed that the sand made a noise when people walked 
on it. 
« € Oh, yes!’ they said, ‘this is the famous musical beach.’ 
* I felt pretty cheap, for I had never heard of the famous musical 
beach. JI asked them if there was any other place where such sand 
was found. 
« «Not in the United States,’ answered the oldest boy, ‘but my 
papa says there is some of it in the Sandwich Islands, where he went 
one time.’ 
* When anybody tells me a thing is the only one of its kind I 
immediately begin to doubt it. I determined then and there to in- 
vestigate the subject of ‘ barking > sand. That was in 1883, and much 
of my time since then has been occupied in my investigations. I 
have found the sand in small quantities in some seventy places in the 
