1883. ] Anthropology. 567 
pated his views on various points. We shall look with interest 
for the second work on “ Mental Evolution,” which demands 
powers of high order for its successful treatment. 
INTELLIGENCE IN Prorozoa.—Romanes in his “ Animal Intelli- 
says, “ No one can have watched the movements of cer- 
tain Infusoria without feeling it difficult to believe that these little 
animals are not actuated by some amount of intelligence.” He 
then describes the means taken by a large rotifer to shake off a 
smaller individual which had fastened itself by its forceps to the 
former. He claims that the beginnings of instinct are to be 
found so low down in the scale as the Rhizopoda. He quotes 
from Mr. H. J. Carter, who says: “ Even Athealium will confine 
itself to the water of the watch-glass, in which it may be placed, 
when away from sawdust and chips of wood among which it has 
been living ; but if the watch-glass be placed upon the sawdust, 
it will very soon make its way over the side of the watch-glass 
and get to it.” . 
He then cites the actions of the Actinophrys in getting its 
food, and of Amceba in seizing its prey, young Acinetz, but con- 
= ludes that we should not “be justified in ascribing to these low- 
est members of the zoological stage any rudiment of truly men- 
tal action. 
ANTHROPOLOGY. ' 
THE CARSON Foorprints.—In the area of an excavation made 
for the foundation of the penitentiary at Carson, Nevada, are im- 
Most remarkable among these is a series which have been sup- 
Posed to be the tracks of giant human beings, the ancestors of the 
Present human race. Dr. Walter J. Hoffman visited the site last 
fall in the interest of the Bureau of Ethnology, and brought to 
Washington a cast of one of the depressions. Dr. Hoffman’s 
= Conclusions, in a communication to the New York Weekly Herald 
(Nov, 18), are as follows : “ The only animal capable of producing 
‘Mpressions any way similar to these are the bear and the Mylodon, 
9r gigantic ground sloth. They are neither of these, and the theory 
saming Most followers is that ‘it is the missing link in the chain 
of human evolution.’” A note in the last number of Revue d’An- 
thro ve de Paris rehearses Dr. Hoffman’s researches, and ex- 
Patlates on the evidence of the existence of Tertiary man. Mr. 
7 K. Gilbert, of the U. S. Geological Survey, has received from 
t. Russel a skilled observer on the spot, some valuable informa- 
‘Upon these footprints, which he communicated to the Wash- 
. Anthropological Society. Mr. Russel confirms Prof. Cope’s 
mation that the beds are Upper Pliocene or Lower Quat- 
¥ ‘Edited by Professor Oris T. Mason, 1305 Q street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 
pressions in the sandstone that are probably footprints. The | 
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