248 



A Tertiary Gar Pike in France.— It seems to be proved be- 

 yond doubt that a true Lepidosteus lived in the waters of the 

 Paris basin during the early Tertiary period. M. Paul Gervais 

 lias recently announced that the ganoid fish from the Paris beds, 

 described by Agassiz as Lepidotus Maximiliani should be referred 

 to Lepidosteus Suessionensis. This correction is based upon the 

 recent discovery of abundant fish remains, including vertebrae, at 

 Neaufles, near Gisors. — Academy. 



Fall of Cosmic al Dust on the Earth. — It has been ascer- 

 tained by Nordenskiold of Stockholm, that small quantities of a 

 cosmical dust, foreign to our planet and containing metallic iron, 

 cobalt, nickel, phosphoric acid, and also a carbonaceous organic 

 matter, falls upon the earth along with snow or rain. — Amer. 

 Journ. Science. 



ANTHROPOLOGY. 



An Indian Mill Seen in the Museum of Nassau, New 

 Providence. — This important object was marked " Indian idol 

 or stool." An image with a human face was carved on the centre 

 of one end of its oval shape ; this "stool," as it was marked, was 

 hollowed out, increasing from its two extremities towards the cen- 

 tre, the carved head peering a little above the rim. It was sup- 

 ported by legs, was of wood, the workmanship of the extinct race 

 that once inhabited the island. It was in a good state of preserva- 

 tion, which is no doubt owing to the antiseptic qualities of the air 

 in the cave in which it was found, which preserved the wood, that 

 may be three hundred years old. Many caves have been found in 

 the Bahama Islands which, if they were not the dwellings of the 

 former Indians, must have formed their temporary shelters, as 

 many implements are found in them. 



This supposed "stool" was nothing else than a mill ; the Indians 

 would not have bestowed so much labor upon a stool. It is, be- 

 sides, too small for that purpose. The people of the Island pos- 

 sessed in those days tools made of bone or stone, therefore they 

 would only make the articles that manufactured food or clothing, 

 the Islands producing no stone hard enough to be formed into a 

 mill. It is just the height required for a person sitting upon the 

 ground, is much like those made of stone, and in use by the poor 



