1886. ] Geography and Travels. | 541 
Powell, J. W.—Fifth annual report of the U. S. Geol. Surv., 1885. From the 
department, 
Geinitz, H. B.—Ueber Palmacites, Abd. d. Isis, 1883. 
—Geognostische Excursion nach Dippoldiswalde, 30.Juli, 1885. Both from the 
author 
Haddon, A, C.—Preliminary report on the fauna of Dublin bay, 
——Note on the blastodermic vesicle of mammals, 
Note on Halcampa chrysanthellum Peach, All rep. from the Sci. Proc, Roy. 
Dub, Soc., 1885, 
——Recent contributions to the marine invertebrate fauna of Ireland, Reprint from 
The Zodlogist, Jan., 1886, All from the author 
Putnam, F. W.—On jadeite ornaments from Central America. Ext. Proc. Mass. 
Hist. Soc., 1886. From the author. 
10: 
GENERAL NOTES. 
GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVELS.' 
Asta.—Railway Projects in the Shan Country—Mr. Holt 
Hallett states that the most practicable line for a railway in Indo- 
China, to connect India with that country, is up the valleys of the 
Meh Ping and Meh Wung, tributaries of the Meh Nam, to Kiang 
` Hsen, on the Meh Kong. At Raheng this line would be joined 
by another from Maulmein, at the mouth of the Salween, in 
British Burmah. North of Kiang Hsen the railway would be 
produced along the Meh Kong valley to Kiang Hung, fifty miles 
from ‘the Chinese town of Ssumao. By taking this route the 
Mass of mountains lying east of the Irawadi is avoided. 
The Burmese Shan States east of the Irawadi are believed to 
Contain a million to a million and a half of inhabitants ; the Sia- 
mese Shan States about two and a half millions, while the Meh 
Nam valley, south of the latter, has about three and a half 
millions. 
e Shans are described as a cultivated people, free from caste, 
lous and energetic, hospitable and frank toward strangers, 
eager for free trade, and of great capacity as petty traders. The 
hill-tribes are a hard-working, manly people, good agriculturists 
and handicraftsmen, great growers of cotton, tobacco, indigo and 
tea, and extensive breeders of cattle. } 
were are two races of Lua or Lawa, one of which, the “ Baw 
Lua, ts acknowledged to be the aboriginal race. They are found 
chiefly in the Maing Loongyee valley, and here number about © 
Nine thousan d £ Sy y , i 
n~ Heri-rud Valley —Dr. Aitchison, naturalist to the Afghan 
tremely fertile, producing magnificent crops of wheat, barley, 
mitation Commission, states that the valley of the Heri-rud is 
grapes, melons and the mulberry tree. Among the trees _ 
3 
Srown are Pinus halepensis, an ash and two elms. The country © 
“pears barren and arid in winter, but in spring is covered with 
ae ; i 
a This department is edited by W. N. LOCKINGTON; Philadelphia. 
voL, XX,—No, VI, 36 
