1884.] Anthropology. (IJI 
events of his country. In the second relation the author com- 
mences the history of the Chichimecs at the time when they de- 
barked on the Gulf of California—[Le Muséon, 111, 334.] 
Tue BOARD oF INDIAN CommIssIoners.—Although the especial 
function of this board is not anthropological, the thoughtful stu- 
dent of the natural history of our race will find much food in 
their report for serious thought. We all believe in the continuity 
of history. As we look at the fragmentary story of the past, we 
wonder how those heterogeneous events could ever have formed 
part of a single mosaic. In the report of 1883, pp. 8-33, is a 
picture of a struggle going on in the Creek nation between the 
sig progress and the party that sigh for the flesh pots of 
“« Tantæ molis erat Romanam condere gentem.” 
Tae HeaLru Report oF WasHINGTON.—The report of the 
health officer of Washington is doubtless a parallel with the sim- 
ilar publications in most of our well regulated cities. The grow- 
ing complexity of our civilization is well exhibited by the mea- 
sures taken to defend human life and happiness against the perils 
arising out of our greatest comforts. A report of this kind is 
a good barometer to indicate whether we are advancing or 
retreating in social strength. For instance, when the health offi- 
cer informs us that the increase of calls on the public dispensary 
's greater than the increase of population, we at once sce that 
public morals are declining. When he informs us that the col- 
ored applicants are twice in number those that are white, while 
the white population doubles the colored, we know that pauper- 
ism is four times as great among the colored people. most 
accurate information comes from the mortality tables, which foot 
up as follows for eight years: 
Population. Deaths. Death-rates. 
White. |Colored| Total. | Whi.| Col. Tot. | Whi. į Col. |Total. 
1876, | | — RPE EO OE as 
Bog Tote e ee tees! 106,741| 50,859) 157,600) 2090 2072 4162 19.58 40.74 35 
we ee ee eee ed 109,505 mgd 162,375|2190| 201 ‘ou 200 7.39 25-89 
1879 m T A TO '112,340 54,960) 167,300 2167 2068 4235 19.29 37-63 25-32 
IB tte tees |115,247|57,053 172,300 2196/2113 4309 ap Sa 
mo O 118,236] 59,402|177,638 2085 2121 4207/17-63 35-71 23. 
IBGa Tsetse ee eee 121,300 61,760 183, (2205 1931/4136 18.18/31.27 22.59 
1883 creat A open nee 124,441 64,212) 188,653) 2353 pepe 15.91 A 3 
eee ft eter esas 126,300 65,680 191,980!2270 2016 4286 17.98 30- 33 
s —— aaa 
“cosas ie Ee EPEC oe aeons eas ape Ne 
Sa hel 
because while the 
list is ac : er cannot get the correct 
ee orl be noticed that the white 
'S fluctuating, but decreasing; the colored death rate fas 
ly diminished, showing a decided improvement in prosper- 
"y and hygiene. Of 3116 births reported, ge were white 
rs 
Xvi 
* 
74 
