1878.] 347 [Kathbun. 



imperfectly known, and discovered large quantities of richly orna- 

 mented pottery, mostly fragmentary. These have since been made 

 the subject of considerable study by Professor Hartt. The sea coast 

 was examined at several points, from Para to Pernambuco, and, in the 

 neighborhood of the latter city, the fossiliferous Cretaceous formations 

 of the province of the same name, were studied for the first time. 

 At all of the localities visited they made large collections in geology 

 and zoology, which were sent to the United States and are now con- 

 tained in the museum of Cornell University. 



Prof. Hartt's researches on the Amazonas did not tend to bring 

 proof of the former existence of glaciers there. The Serra of Erere 

 was found not to belong to the series of table-topped hills, as Prof. 

 Agassiz had been led to suppose, but to consist of inclined strata of 

 very irregular outline. The Devonian fossils of the plain were from 

 a portion of the supposed " drift " material of Agassiz. Prof. Hartt 

 did not find time to examine any of the true table-topped hills on this 

 trip, and it was largely for the purpose of doing this that he returned 

 to the Amazonas in 1870, accompanied only by Mr. O. A. Derby. 



The table-topped Serra of Parauaquara and the Serra of Tauajuri, 

 of another class, and both wholly unknown to science, were visited, 

 but gave no evidence of having been formed through the agency of 

 glaciers. The fossiliferous localities of Erere and the Tapajos were 

 re-examined, and larger collections made from them. The fresh- 

 water shell heaps of Taperinha were carefully explored by Prof. 

 Hartt, and the mounds of Marajd by Mr. Derby. 



At no time on either of these two trips did Prof. Hartt lose a 

 moment in idleness ; when no other work could be done, he busied 

 himself in studying the Mundurucii and Maue dialects of the modern 

 Tupi language of the Amazonas, and in bringing together the 

 stories and myths which are current in the tribes. He has prepared 

 a large volume on the grammar, vocabulary, and stories of this lan- 

 guage, which yet remains unpublished. 



Prof. Hartt returned to Ithaca, N. Y., about January, 1872, where 

 he remained two years and a half, giving all the time he could spare 

 from his college duties to working up the results of his two Amazo- 

 nian trips, with the aid of two assistants, Mr. O. A. Derby and myself. 

 His reports were published, as soon as finished, in the journals of 

 several scientific societies. During this time he also gave popular 

 lectures on Brazil, in New York, Boston, and Syracuse. 



