866 The American Naturalist. [October, 
descriptions of species and with each description the author gives an 
account of the habits and habitat, based chiefly on his own observations. 
In every case the loca] name is given in addition, and no effort is 
spared to combine scientific accuracy with popular diction. The plates 
by Ridgway and Miitzel are admirable specimens of color printing. 
Cartailhac’s Prehistoric France.’—This work forms one of the 
Bibliothéque Scientifique Internationale Series, and like the rest of 
that set aims to embody the leading facts of the subject treated in brief 
essay which shall be at once both popular and scientific. M. Car- 
tailhac’s opening chapter is a history of the progress of the science of 
archeology, and contains a resumé of the important discoveries made 
in France. Then follows a discussion of the evidence for the existence 
of preglacial man, and a presentation of the undoubted facts concern- 
ing his PAORO during cany Pae Under the "-— * artistic 
manifestations," are described t] ings and t y primitive 
man, and the conclusions drawn from a comparison of the ‘work with 
that of uncivilized man of the present day. A chapter on human bones 
discovered in the Alluvium and another on the mortuary customs as evi- 
denced by the position, condition and surroundings of the skeletons dis- 
covered in caverns and burial-places closes the history of Paleolithic 
man. 
Of Neolithic man M. Cartailhae makes alongerstory. The grottoes, 
both natural and artificial, used as sepulehres, and the strange megali- 
thic crypts, are very fully described, together with the funeral rites of 
the ancient Gauls. Ethnographic comparisons are made with living 
races, particularly as to the custom of erecting stones as monuments. 
Finally a discussion of the type of Neolithic man as revealed by the 
Cro-Magnon and other skulls found within the last few years brings to 
a close this interesting work on prehistoric man. 
The volume forms one of the series edited by M. Lanessan, and it is 
of importance as furnishing a review of what has been discovered in 
that richest of all fields, France. 
Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1892.'— This report 
comprises the Reports of the Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution upon the condition and progress of the Museum ; Reports of 
the Curators; Paper’s illustrative of collections in the Museum; A 
Bibliography ; and List of Accessions. Shufeldt’s Paper on scientific 
*La France Agree ti les Sépultures et les Monuments. Par 
EmileCartailhac. Paris, 18 
