m 
278 General Notes. [March, 
Congo, yet probably cross it near the equator. The gray parrot, 
often stated to have its southern limit at the Congo, reaches, per 
haps, its greatest development in Malange, nearly 300 miles south 
of that river. 
The single mouth of the Congo is unimposing beside the deltas 
of the other great African rivers, and it is not unlikely that this 
outlet is not of very ancient date. Many of the so-called creeks 
between Boma and the sea have gained in length within the 
memory of settlers on the Lower Congo, and seem to be attempt 
on the part of the river to force a new way to the sea. Banat 
point, a sandy peninsula at the Congo mouth, would long a? 
have been washed away had it not been for man’s protection. The 
scenery of the region of the rapids, Yellala, Ngoma, and Isa 
is graphically sketched by Mr. Johnstone, as also the Ntombo 
Mataka falls above Manyanga—the nearest approach to a @* 
cade the river exhibits. Above Stanley pool the scenery 8 
tropical, and the river moves swiftly between high wooded A 
Below Boma, the hottest place on the Congo, good water cani 
obtained from ever-running rills, so that above Vivi dysentery © 
almost unknown. At Msuata, above Stanley pool, the bay 
ture ranges from 87° in the shade at noon to 60° at two ll 
morning. I att 
The races between Lake Bungweolo and Stanley gore | 
Bantu of the purest type. On the coast the Bantu sena { 
mixed with an earlier negro population. The Ba-yanst er vation 
are perfect Greek statues in their forms, and have a civilizat 
of their own, building houses of three or more rooms, P aie 
with matting, and havinga door of laths and matting pee 
on a rude hinge. Their pottery, weaving, decoration, m ces t | 
in iron and copper, attempts at husbandry and contrival e 
fishing and bird-catching show a great advance on the sal i 
the lower river. They are very free from superstitions, 
apologize for the remains of fetish among them. be the 
Most of the fruits and vegetables grown by the tribes ° 4 
Congo seem to have been introduced by the Porto ae i 
There is no large kingdom in this region, but each V gt 
a small independent state, and this fact has, 1n Mr. J e vilag 
opinion, greatly facilitated the entry of civilization. 1f 0M) nis 
has declined to receive Mr. Stanley, the next has wera 
out of rivalry, so that he is now looked up tO as Spmettsó 
and keeps the peace among the natives. The egtab ions bat 
Vivi and Leopoldville are small towns; twenty-one sta equ 
been founded in all, and an European can travel to Rhine 
Station, 700 miles up the river, as safely as upon aoe 
Tre KurLu.—At .a recent meeting of the Royal of 1883 A 
Society, M. Van de Velde stated that in the spring pile Cap 
had been sent by sea to the mouth of the Kuilu, W o 
