668 
veys were actively carried on last summer, with a 
result now presented in Mr. Gardiner’s ‘ Report on 
the drainage of the Tonawanda and Oak-Orchard 
Swamps,’ in the fourth annual report of the board of 
health, just issued. The two swamps are connected, 
but only the latter or eastward one was thoroughly 
examined. It is long and narrow, with irregular 
margins, covering an area of twenty-three thousand 
acres. Although nearly level, it has a sufficient slope 
for drainage from the sides towards the middle, and 
from east to west following the creek, which leaves 
it at the western end; but, on account of the resist- 
ance of the hard limestone over which the outlet 
flows, it has failed, as yet, to cut a passage deep enough 
to dry the ground, or wide enough to discharge the 
spring rains and melting snow. The report contains 
valuable discussions of the rainfall of western New 
York, of the ratio between rainfall and stream-dis- 
charge (taken largely from the invaluable reports on 
the Cochituate and Sudbury water-supplies for Bos- 
ton), and of the proper size and slope for discharge- 
channels: it is accompanied by maps and sections. 
If legislators in other states, contemplating the ad- 
-visability of establishing a survey of their domains, 
would examine p. 3 of this report, they would find 
the encouraging statement that it is ‘‘ necessary to 
secure, as a basis for any adequate plans and propo- 
sitions for successful drainage, an accurate topo- 
graphical map.’’ 
— The organization of the Yale college observatory 
is now proceeding quietly. The control of the obser- 
vatory will come directly under the corporation, the 
old board of managers being abolished. The bureaus 
of horology and thermometry, on account of their 
outside relations, will be placed on.a business basis. 
— The American institute of electrical engineers, 
recently organized in New York, consists of mem- 
bers, honorary members, and associates. Members 
and honorary members are professional electricians 
and electrical engineers. Associates include per- 
sons practically engaged in electrical enterprises, 
and all suitable persons desirous of being connected 
with the institute. All members and associates are 
equally entitled to the privileges of membership. 
At the meeting, May 13, officers were elected as 
follows: president, Norvin Green; vice-presidents, A. 
Graham Bell, Charles T. Cross, Thomas A. Edison, 
George A. Hamilton, Charles H. Haskins, Frank L. 
Pope; managers, Charles F. Brush, William H. Eck- 
ert, Stephen D. Field, Elisha Gray, Edwin J. Hous- 
ton, G. L. Hillings, Frank W. Jones, George B. 
Prescott, W. W. Smith, W. P. Trowbridge, Theodore 
N. Vail, Edward Weston; treasurer, Rowland R. 
Hazard; secretary, Nathaniel S. Keith. —— A letter 
was read from C. J. Kintner, of the patent office, 
deprecating the large surplus turned into the U. S. 
treasury each year by the office, especially in view of 
the press of new inventions, which, in the electrical 
department, are now four months behind. —— Reso- 
lutions were passed, pledging the influence of the in- 
stitute “‘to prevent any restriction of the rights and 
privileges of inventors, as they now exist under the 
laws, and that the institute of electrical engineers 
SCIENCE. 
ae eae” eA. eee 
[Vor. IIL, No. 69. 
earnestly desires the passage of Senator Platt’s bill, 
or its equivalent, in order that the work of the patent 
office may be put on a more efficient footing.’”? —— 
Mr. Isaac Trumbo of San Francisco made some re- 
marks on the state of electric lighting on the Pacific 
slope, and stated that he had been investigating 
various systems of lighting for use in the west. 
— The sixteenth and seventeenth. annual reports of 
the trustees of the Peabody museum have just been 
published in one volume. The curator, Prof. Fred. 
W. Putnam, gives the results of his important dis- 
coveries, made in 1882 and 1883, in certain mounds 
in Madisonville, in the Little Miami valley, Ohio, as 
well as of the explorations of others in Tennessee 
and Wisconsin, and of shell-heaps upon the coast of 
Maine. The Madisonville mounds have disclosed 
the interesting fact, that their builders made use to a 
limited extent of meteoric iron for the manufacture 
of ornaments, as is proved by the careful analysis 
given by Dr. Kinnicutt. Of even greater interest is 
the discovery of a series of pits, provided with flues, 
which appear to have been employed for the purposes 
of cremation, although Miss Fletcher has suggested 
the possibility that they were caches for storing 
valuables, which could be burned when liable to be 
captured by enemies. Mr. Putnam makes an almost 
passionate appeal to the patriotism of the American _ 
people for the preservation of the more important of 
the fast-disappearing relics of the remote past of their 
country. These reports are enriched by’ five most 
valuable papers by Miss Alice Fletcher, giving com- 
plete and heretofore unknown information in regard 
to the religious belief and the ceremonial observances 
of different Indian tribes. Mr. Carr has added an 
exhaustive examination of the social and political 
position of woman among the Iroquois, establishing 
incontestably the preponderating influence wielded 
by her. There is also a thoroughly scientific study 
by Miss Studley, with complete tables of measure- 
ments, of the osteology of human remains brought 
by Dr. Palmer from four caves in Coahuila, Mex. 
Lastly, Dr. Barrett has given interesting notes of his 
observations of numerous instances of dental disease 
occurring in ancient crania of the extensive collec- 
tions of the museum. We regret that we have not 
space to give such an account as they merit, of these 
reports, which equal, if they do not surpass, in im- 
portance, any of the valuable contributions which 
Mr. Putnam has made to our knowledge of American 
antiquities. 
— The summer course in botany, from July 7 to 
Aug. 16, at the botanic garden of Harvard university, 
Cambridge, Mass., will be given by Professor Tre- 
lease, of the University of Wisconsin. ‘This course 
of lectures is designed to present, in a familiar way, 
the more important principles of botany of flowering © 
plants. The elements of morphology, microscopic 
anatomy, and physiology of plants will be illustrated 
in the lecture-room by living specimens, by demon- 
strations and experiments. Laboratory work of two 
kinds will be provided, —1°, for beginners; 2°, a 
_course of laboratory practice for advanced students, 
-comprising demonstrations in microscopic anatomy 
