524 The American Naturalist. [June, 



In the second part of the volume a talent for lucid simplification 

 impies^e us in novel panoramic views of Uxmal and Chichen Itza, 

 when stationed upon an imaginary height, we view the arrangement 

 of walls and mounds clear of obscuring masses of leafage and rubbish, 

 add to this something of the ever delightful charm of the landscape 

 painter in sketches illustrating the course of expedition along the east 

 coast, as we follow it from the Isle of women (Mujeres) to Tuloom, and 

 from Cozumel to Cancun and El Meco. Looking from water to land we 

 seem to see the tropical distance taking on its mirage like garb of cool- 

 ness, and by grotesque pinnacles of rock, hear the rusli of green waves 

 upon the sands, where mysterious walls set softly in the deceitful blue 

 allure us from the shore.— Henry C. Mercer. 



PROCEEDINGS OF SCIENTIFIC 



Nova Scotian Institute of Science. — May 11, the following 

 papers was read: Notes on the Geology of Newfoundland, by T. C. 

 Weston, Esq., F. G. S. A., Ottawa ; Phenological Observations for 

 1895, by A. H. McKay, Esq., LL. D., F. R. S. C, Superintendent of 

 Education ; Glacial Succession in Central Lunenburg, by W. H. Prest, 

 Esq., Chester Basin, N. S. ; On the Flora of Newfoundland, No. 3, by 

 Rev. Arthur C. Waghorne, New Harbour, Newfoundland ; Notes on 

 Nova Scotian Zoology, No. 4, by Harry Piers, Esq. ; Water Supply of 

 the Towns of Nova Scotia — Financial, Sanitary and other Considera- 

 tions, by W. R. Butler, Esq., M. E., Professor of Mathematics, Natural 

 Philosophy and Engineering, King's College, Windsor; On the Broad 

 Cove Coal Field, by W. H. Ross, Esq., C. E.— Harry Piers, Secretary. 



Boston Society of Natural History.— The Annual Meeting was 

 held Wednesday evening, May 6th. The following business was trans- 

 acted : Reports of the Curator, Secretary, Librarian, Treasurer and 

 Trustees ; Announcement of the award of the Walker Prize for 1896 ; 

 Election of Officers for 1896-97. The following paper was read : Prof. 

 Charles S. Minot : On the Principles of the Construction of the Micro- 

 tomes. There was shown a collection of the microtomes illustrating 

 the evolution of the instrument, and also a microtome of a new model. 



May 20.— The following papers were read : Prof. E. S. Morse : Man 

 as a Tertiary Mammal ; Dr. G. A. Dorsey :- On the Photograph and 

 Skeleton of Neddy Larkin, a native of Australia.— Samuel Henshaw, 

 Secretary. 



