‘| 
340 
will be safe to adopt the term as expressive of their 
true character and use. 
' This indicates how poorly represented is the state 
of Minnesota in mounds of any kind. The variety 
and contents give as little satisfaction as the distri- 
bution. Mr. Lewis well says, that the ‘task of 
thoroughly examining artificial earthworks by exca- 
vation is so onerous, and the prospect of finding any 
thing of material value to pay for it so slight, there 
being scarcely any thing but the knowledge acquired 
to compensate the labor, that few persons care to 
undertake such work for so poor a return.” 
— The Dorpat Naturforscher-gesellschaft has re- 
ceived by bequest A. Schrenk’s collection of Mollusca, 
which has been named by Mr. S. Clessin, and arranged 
by Dr. Max Braun. A hundred and eight species of 
land and fresh-water shells are known to occur in the 
Baltic provinces, and of these the Dorpat collection 
now contains eighty-eight. 
— Dr. M. Braun has continued his faunal explora- 
tion of the Finland Bay, and in connection therewith 
has studied the physical characteristics of the water. 
The temperature diminishes, and the amount of salt 
increases, with the depth; but the water is so shallow 
that in severe storms the whole is stirred, mixing the 
colder and salter water of the bottom with the top 
layers. The water thus varies greatly, and this fact 
must have a great influence upon the life in the bay. 
The observations are being continued by Commander 
H. von Roth, and, when completed, are to be carefully 
worked up. 
— Zodlogists and. microscopists will welcome the 
two instalments, just appeared, of Biitschli’s learned 
and thorough treatise on the Protozoa, which is to 
form vol. i. of the new revision of Bronn’s classical 
‘Thierreich.’ Parts xx.-xxv., just received, are en- 
tirely devoted to the Flagellata. This work is impor- 
tant not only from its intrinsic value, but also because 
it is the first comprehensive scientific work on the 
Protozoa ever published, and must, as such, be very 
efficient in spreading fuller and more correct knowl- 
edge concerning this much misunderstood group of 
animals. The utter lack of conciseness is the worst, 
and, at the same time, a serious and inexcusable, 
defect of this invaluable volume. 
— In the American journal of science and arts, vol. 
xxlii., 2d series, p. 276, a letter from Rev. George 
Jones, U.S.N., to Professor Silliman, written at Quito, 
Ecuador, Dec. 13, 1856, describes a fall of ashes from 
Cotopaxi, which was thirty miles distant, in which a 
purple sky was noted. The paragraph in which the 
mention is made runs as follows: ‘‘ Yesterday morn- 
ing we noticed that at the south the sky had an un- 
usual appearance, being of a purple color for about 
90° along the horizon, and so up to about 45° in 
height, the edge of this being mixed up with patches 
of white. About 12 o’clock ashes began to fall, first 
in small quantities; but by 8 o’clock the fall had got 
to be so considerable as to powder the clothes quickly, 
on our going out: and people coming into a house 
would look as we do at home when coming in from a 
snow-storm.”’ 
SCIENCE. 
rTP AM ee ap 
a 
(Vou. IL:, No. 58 
— The Amherst college scientific association, organ- 
ized in 1883, has for an object the promotion of scien- 
tific knowledge among its members. It consists of 
the heads of the scientific departments of the faculty 
as honorary members, and of active members chosen 
by the association, at the close of the year, from 
the members of the junior class recommended by the 
faculty. At present the membership is limited to 
twelve. Meetings are held weekly, and consist either 
of an address by some member of the faculty upon 
scientific subjects, ora paper read by one of the mem- 
bers, followed by questions and discussions. During 
the present year the society has listened to President 
Seelye, on science; Dr. Hitchcock, on social science; 
Professors Todd, on mountain observatories; Emer- 
son, on the state of geology one hundred years ago; 
Tyler, on the biblical idea of nature; and Pond, on 
student-life in Germany. Some of the papers read 
thus far, by members of the association, are on the 
relation of chemistry to civilization, the Iatro age of 
chemistry, eggs, alchemy, the phlogistice theory, the 
condensation of gases, state of ornithology a hun- 
dred years ago, the nebular hypothesis, and proofs of 
the antiquity of man in the eastern United States. 
—M. J. Deniker has prepared for the Revue d’eth- 
nographie a sketch of the Ghiliaks, who live about 
the mouth of the Amoor River, based chiefly on the 
elaborate works of Schrenk and Seeland, published 
in St. Petersburg, the former in 1881, the latter in 
1882. The Ghiliaks are mentioned for the first time 
by Witsen (1707); but they have been visited by Rus- 
sian travellers since, although several distinguished 
ethnographers have confounded them with the Ainos, 
Tunguses, ete. The word ‘Ghiliak’ is a Russian cor- 
ruption of the Tunguse word ‘ Kilé.’ The people call 
themselves Niback. Their country is quite restricted. 
Their villages are sparsely scattered along the valley 
of the lower Amoor to the Okhotsk Sea. The Oltchas, 
a Tunguse tribe, adjoin them on the south: the 
Samagheres, of the same stock, are on the west. 
Besides the valley and the mouth of the Amoor, the 
Ghiliaks people the neighboring shore of the Okhotsk 
Sea. Beyond the Tatar Straits, they are found all 
along the northern part of Saghalin, the southern 
part being peopled by the Ainos. According to 
Schrenk, they form, together with Yukagirs, Ainos, 
Kamtchadals, Koriaks, Chukchis, and Eskimo (ex- 
tant), and Ostyaks (disappearing), and Omoks, 
Anaules, Kottes, etc. (disappeared), the family of 
Palaeasiatics, who have been pushed back by the later 
invading Mongoloids. The average height is 1.62 m. 
for males, 1.50 m. for females. They are dolicho- 
cephalic (76.5). M. Deniker gives detailed descrip- 
tions of their measurements, physiognomy, maladies, 
and character; their food, meals, habitations, house- 
keeping, clothing, occupations (both of men and 
women), arms, and transportation; their marriages, 
polygamy, cremation, religion, myths, and language. 
A singular custom exists of betrothing children at 
five or six years of age, in which case the father of 
the husband adopts the girl, and keeps her until the 
marriage takes place. After the death of a husband, 
the wife marries the husband’s brother, although she 
