October 3, 18S4. 



SCIENCE 



343 



to facilitate quick readings without moving the head. 

 The box serves as a water-bath in which any objective 

 from one-half to one-tenth maybe immersed without 

 serious loss to the objective's optical capacity. The 

 critical point of the fluid may be readily determined 

 in ten minutes by both the disappearance and re- 

 appearance of the bubble within a twentieth of a 

 degree. For further details the author referred to 

 his earlier paper upon an apparatus for this purpose. 



Dr. Theobald Smith presented an account of Sal- 

 mon's culture-tubes; but as it has not yet been 

 revised by Dr. Salmon, we postpone notice of it. 



Prof. Henry F. Osborn's paper upon a microscopic 

 method of studying the amphibian brain was valua- 

 ble. The brain is hardened in ' Miiller's fluid,' the 

 ventricles being fully injected. After the usual alco- 

 holic treatment, the brain is placed for one week in 

 a carmine solution, then for twenty-four hours in 

 acetic acid. The embedding mass is prepared by 

 shaking the contents of an egg with three drops of 

 glycerine. After soaking in this mass, the brain is 

 placed in position, and hardened in the vapor of boil- 

 ing eighty-per-cent alcohol. The mass is then placed 

 for one week in absolute alcohol. Section is made 

 under alcohol with a Jung's microtome. The sec- 

 tions on the slide are arranged, covered with old- 

 fashioned blotting-paper (cigarette-paper was sug- 

 gested as better by Dr. C. S. Minot), and treated with 

 alcohol and oil of cloves through the paper, a device 

 which may prove convenient in many cases. 



Dr. H. G. Beyer reported one of his observations 

 made during his still uncompleted researches on Lin- 

 gula. In his abstract he says, "One of the points 

 that I should like to demonstrate from one of my 

 sections is a probable communication of the so-called 

 segmental tubes with one of the diverticula (liver) of 

 the alimentary canal of the animal, by means of a 

 convoluted tubule;" certainly an important observa- 

 tion if verified. 



Dr. R. H. Ward described a couple of neat contriv- 

 ances, — one, a new illuminating arrangement called 

 the iris illuminator; the other, a long-armed lens- 

 holder. Prof. William A. Rogers gave a description 

 of the various steps by which a centimetre or an inch 

 may be produced from a standard metre or a stand- 

 ard yard respectively. 



The remaining papers contained almost no new 

 original matter, but were chiefly accounts of methods 

 or apparatus well known to professional workers. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECTION OF 

 ANTHROPOLOGY. 



Thursday forenoon was occupied by the general 

 meeting, leaving only time for the organization of 

 the sections. In the afternoon the address of the 

 vice-president, Prof. E. S. Morse, was delivered to a 

 very attentive and interested audience. As we have 

 already given this address in abstract, no analysis 

 need be added here. 



The real work of the section began on Friday morn- 

 ing, with a paper by Rev. S. D. Peet, upon emblematic 

 mounds, their uses and purposes. The author, hav- 



ing carefully studied many of the mounds, has reached 

 the conclusion that from them much may be learned 

 as to the symbolism of the people who made them, 

 and through this of the people themselves. He 

 thinks that certain animal forms were used for specific 

 localities. For example, turtle mounds were placed 

 upon high ground where a lookout would be stationed ; 

 eagle mounds, near bluffs; panther mounds stood 

 guard over village sites. He believes that the mounds 

 indicate the totems of the tribe which made them. 

 The paper was illustrated by charts, and was followed 

 by an extended discussion. Many of the archeolo- 

 gists present were evidently unable to identify some 

 of Mr. Peet's mounds, as represented in his diagrams, 

 with known animals, so confidently as he did ; and 

 some of the outlines seemed quite unlike those of any 

 animal, though of most the animal form was evident. 

 The discussion soon turned upon symbolism in gen- 

 eral. Mr. La Fleche, an Omaha Indian, and mem- 

 ber of the section, spoke of some of the symbols 

 common among his people. Dr. Syle of China re- 

 ferred to similar symbols common among the Japan- 

 ese and Chinese, and noticed the very remarkable 

 resemblance which existed between current symbols 

 in eastern Asia and western America. Dr. E. B. 

 Tylor spoke of the totem system as wide spread, 

 being found not only in North America, but as well 

 in South America, Micronesia, and among the hill 

 tribes of India. 



Then came a paper by Miss A. C. Fletcher, upon 

 child-life among the Omahas. It was such an account 

 as only one who had lived among the people, and 

 with hearty sympathy entered into their daily lives, 

 could have given ; and the earnest, clear, tender treat- 

 ment of the subject was most delightful. We were 

 told how, when ten days old, the child received a 

 sacred name given with impressive ceremonies; how 

 its cradle was prepared, and how lovingly the little 

 one was tended, often by father as well as mother. 

 This cradle is a flat board, to which the child, laid on 

 its back, is swathed; the bandages for girls being dif- 

 ferent from those used for boys. Because of this 

 treatment, most Indians exhibit a peculiar flattening 

 of the occiput. The child is not kept constantly on 

 the board, but at times is allowed to kick about at 

 will; and after the sixth month it is rarely used, a 

 hammock then taking its place. The crying of the 

 child seems very unpleasant to them, and if it occur 

 they use every means to quiet it. When the child is 

 three years old, the solemn ceremony of cutting its 

 hair generally takes place, though all the children do 

 not receive this. Before this, the hair is allowed to 

 grow. At this time, if the parents desire, a new 

 name may be given to the child. Each gens has its 

 own style according to which the hair is cut. The 

 home life of Omaha children was shown to be pleas- 

 ant and joyous, and the child is very much attached 

 to it. Toys, games, and story- telling abound. After 

 early childhood has passed, various duties are assigned 

 to the children, — to the boys, the care of the ponies, 

 the use of the bow and arrow, etc. ; to the girls, the 

 care of younger children, and later tilling the ground, 

 dressing skins, and cooking, and until a girl is profi- 



