530 General Notes. [May, 
y% 
and his forced residence among the Tekke Turcomans, reads like 
a romance and is full of interesting facts respecting this “ Queen 
of the World,” which still contains 500,000 inhabitants. Here 
are the extensive ruins of Giaur Kala, the original site of Merv, 
destroyed by the Arabs about the end of the seventh century, 
and those of Bairam Ali, its successor, destroyed in 1784 by the 
Amir of Bokhara. 
The travels of General Macgregor in Beloochistan (1876-1877) 
proved that the Mashkid and Mashkel rivers do not flow into the 
sea or into the Helmand, but after their confluence in the roman- 
tic pass of Tank Zorati flow mainly north-west to the Mashkel 
Hamun, a marsh with no outlet. s 
CAPELLO AND IvENS’ TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA. 
—The narrative of Messrs. Capello and Ivens, who left Benguela 
in Nov., 1877, in company with Major Serpa Pinto, and after- 
wards parted from him and explored the Cuango northward’ 
The sources of the Cunene, Cuanza and Cuango were visited 
ined ng 
the region. The country is mountainous, cut up by mumerous 
streams, and in many parts rich in vegetation. The habits, dwell- 
ings, implements, weapons, etc., of these villagers are pretty mu 
the same as those of other Bantii tribes which figure in the nar- 
ratives of Pinto, Stanley, Cameron and others. ; E 
The Bihenos are the greatest native travelers in Africa, and i 
Bihé is rich and fertile. Elaborate methods of dressing the hair : 
prevail. ae 
The sources of the Cuango were found ata height of 475 A 
feet, at about 114° S. lat., and a little east of 19° E. long. je ; 
this point arise an infinity of spring-heads, the sources ~f ee 
of the Tchipaca, Cuango, Cassai, Lume and Loando, flowing 
wards the Congo-Zaire, Cuanza and Zambesi. The region aro 
this remarkable watershed is rich in iron and copper, and 
duces a wealth of vegetable products. point 
e Cuango was followed to about 140 miles of the a 
where it discharges into the Congo, and was aban f the 
count of the intense aridity of the country. The cour a ig 
river is obstructed by rocks, rapids and cataracts, 5O that 
unnavigable. turies | 
From the historical details given it is evident that for cen 
the various African peoples have been in a state of com 
migration. 
GEOLOGY AND PALÆONTOLOGY. ae his 
New ORDERS or CRINOIDEA.—In the second edition ©. 
American Palzzoic fossils Mr. S. A. Miller characterize wik 5 
new orders and four new families of Crinoidea, with the fo! a 
definitions : thin. 
Order Agelacrinoidea and family Agelacrinidæ. Body 
