Official Organ of the Kansas City, 
(Mo.) Academy of Science. 
K. B. Trouslot, Editor. 
Charles U. Dawson and Edwin T. Keiui, 
Publication committe.^ for tlie Academy. 
K. B. Trouslot & Co., 
Pnblisliers and Proprietors, 
1808 ]M. 6tli St,, Kansas City, Kas, 
An 8 page 24 column Montlily Jom niii, de- 
voted to all branches of 
I}flTVlifllx HISTOKV, 
Making a Specialty, however, of 
(ieolosy, Oriiitholog^y and Oology. 
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Kansas City, January, 1890. 
Subscribers aul advertisers will receive 
promt attention, especially subscriliers. .Sub- 
scribers wlio do not receive their papers 
promptly should notify us at once. 
Our modesty is not so great liut what 
we can rise a-id boldly cast our ballot for 
Chicago as the most desirable city for the 
World's Fair in i8g2. "And so moteit be." 
Wanted; loo copies of October Natural- 
ist (No. 3, Vol. iv). Will pay five cents 
each or date your subscription ahead two 
numbeis. Addres, 
Editor Naturalist. 
C. M. ^Griffith, pastor of the M. E. 
church Niobrara, Neb., solicits specimens 
for the Cabinet and Museum of the Ne- 
braska Wesleyan University. All donations 
should have charges prepaid. 
It is reported that Jacob Pfecht, of the 
Erie Motor Car Co., of Erie, Penn., has in- 
vented Personal Insulation, and that by its 
use a currant of any number of volts can be 
received without injury. This will enable 
electricians and linemen to handle any wire 
with safety. The invention is a secret which 
Mr. Pfecht will have patented. 
Noble M. Eberhart, Ph. D., Sc. U., F. 
S. Sc. (London), President of the Chica- 
go College of Science is probably hunting 
bugs ere this in Vailing, Florida. He writes 
that very likely he will visit Cuba before 
returning to the Garden City. 
When sending fifty cents for a subscrip- 
tion, if you desire a premium, please speci- 
fy what number and enclose necssary post- 
age. Additional premiums can be had at 
thirty cents each, plus the the postage, 
which is always mentioned. When tifty 
cents is sent and no premium selected, we 
take it that the subscriber considers 
The Naturalist worth fully that sum, 
without a premium. Quite a number of 
such subscriptions have already been re- 
ceived, for which accept our sincere thanks. 
Several articles are being prepared for 
The Na'i uralist by prominent members 
of the Academy, and others entirely independ- 
ant of any paper that may be read before that 
body. The following titles will probably 
be chosen for some of them: 
A Description (Illustrated) of the Fossil 
Sponges of this Vicinity. 
A List (Illustrated) of the Fossil Shells 
found in Kansas City. 
A Treatise (Illustrated) on Ornithology 
and the Various Processes of Taxidermy, 
including Embalming. Also, On a Fern, 
Posessing all the Peculiarities of a Reserec- 
tion Plant (Illustrated). 
L.VST month we announced the arrival of 
three Snowy Owls (^Nyctea ntjctea). Since 
then three others have been received on the 
market and all secured by Mr. Dixon. A 
letter from Parsons, Kansas, also speaks of 
one being shot at that place. During a 
period of fifteen vears, at Sandwich, Illinois, 
the writer only remembers hearing of one 
White Owl, which was not shot, yet, while 
at Valparaiso, Ind., only a hundred miles 
farther east, he saw and secured more than 
thirteen fine specimens during the three win- 
ters he remained in that city, and Mr. Park- 
er, the taxidermist of Abilene, Kansas, writes, 
"I killed a pair of fine specimens of Snowy 
Owls yesterday, and know wdiere there i^ 
three more, which I will probablv get to- 
day." 
And now come; Vice-President of the 
American Association for the Advancement 
of Science, Col. Garrett Mallerby, with an 
article written for that association, entitled 
"■Israelite and Indian, a Paralell in Planes 
of Culture," which completely demolishes 
all previous and popular theories that the 
American .Savage had a formulated and es- 
tablished religious faith, beleiving in a sin- 
gle supreme being, and a system of rewards 
and punishments after death, prior to the 
contact with civilization. The Colonel is 
also connected with the Smithsonian and is 
recognized as authority on Indian tradition, 
religion and languages. This contribution 
to science is likely to cause no little stir in 
geological circles. We hope to review the 
paper at length in our next issue. 
We especially call your attention to pre. 
mium No. i., which will place wholesale 
prices at your disposal. We quote the fol- 
lowing from a circular issued by the Ex- 
change: "The design of the National Book 
Exchange is that of a large Book and Mer- 
chandise Emporium, through which its 
members may order anything in the line 
of Books, Music, Music Books, Periodicals, 
Jewelry, Silverware and Job Printing, in 
any quantity, at lowest wholesale price." 
"To build up an institution that proves of 
inestimable value to the masses, surely de- 
serves the kindly favor and patrona'ge of 
every intelligent citizen." The Exchange 
was established in 1887. The following is 
an extract from a letter received from mem- 
ber No. 6542: 
Hnnlinnton, Ind. Sept. 3, 1888. 
To the buyer of seiontillc books, which are 
comijaralively higli priced, a membership in 
the National Book Exchange, is especially 
valuable. It has lieen a saving of 35 to5i 
per cent to me, on tlie books I have pur- 
chased. Hugli (J. Hothert. 
The book catalogue is an 8voin size and 
contains 104 pages, giving wholesale and re- 
tail prices of many thousands of books un- 
der tne following heads: History, Biography, 
Fiction and general Literature, Poets and 
Poetry, Relerence and Miscellaneous, Sci- 
ENiTFic and Educational, Special Select- 
ions, etc. * 
Are you a subscriber to the NATURAL- 
IST? "No!" Why not? "Well, I'll tell 
you. neighbor, I've subscribed for dozens of 
similar papers that have started with glo- 
rious prospects, and after receiving a num- 
ber or two have either never received any 
more or, where the publisher pretended to 
or, tried to be honest, have received some 
second rate paper in lieu of the defunct or- 
gan, until I've about sworn off subscribing 
for anything."' 
The above seems to be the prevailing 
reason why many decline supporting even a 
"worthy cause." The editor of The Na- 
TUR.^LIST regrets that such occurances are 
only too numerous, yet such an excuse 
should not be laid up against this paper, as 
not only have none of the NATURALIST'S 
subscribers ever been the losers, but all who 
may subscribe, can alw ays feel certain of 
getting more than value received. Last 
month we seat out more than 1000 sample 
copies, principally to Geologists, and it is 
gratifying to note that every one does not 
fear to lose his little half dollar. P'or this 
issue we announceil to advertisers 500 extras 
but presume they will not obj ct to appear- 
ing in 1000 extras, ^^ liicli is the way we aim 
to treat our patrons, whether they be adver- 
tisers or subscribers. We hope that "a 
word to the wise" will prove sufficient, and 
that we may soon have the pleasure of en- 
roiling your name in our subscription book. 
The NATURAi.isr, in its Presentation of 
Popular Natural History, Science and Art, 
aims to create a desire ior a more whole- 
some class of reading that shall counteract 
the many evils caused by the scattering 
broad-ca=t of the cheap and trashy litera- 
ture that, we regret to say, is constantly 
becoming more abundant. Scarce a day 
passes but what the Press announces some 
youth or maiden led astray, resulting mainly 
from reading this pernicious class of litera- 
ture. We should be glad to send The Nat- 
UKALls r to every home in the land, and 
help as inuch as is in our power to lead the 
young toward a higher, better and nobler 
life. The N.a.turalist should also be in the 
hands of every teacher, who may aid us 
materially in its introduciion, as besides 
containing much that could be used to ad- 
vantage in the school room, the teacher 
will find in The Naturalist many articles 
that cannot fail to be of especial interest to 
himself. The publishers having had years 
of experience in the book business, have ar- 
ranged to supply all subscribers (for an addi- 
tional cents. See premium No. I.) with a 
member, hip to the National Book Exchange, 
which will make it possible for you to sur- 
roun.;l yourself and family with the very 
best literature obtainable, all at the lowest 
wholesale prices. A school reading room 
can be established and supplied with the 
best periodicals at publisheis lowest club 
rates. Nothing can ever be accomplished 
withe ut an elfort. We want you to demon- 
strate the truth of our remarks. We know 
it will be money in your pockets if you 
will make the efibrt, and ^•^rite us for 
terms of any periodical you may desire. 
There are many publications on which 
we can save you more than your member- 
ship fee to the Exchange. When making 
inquiry regarding books please give author 
when possible, and always mention the pub- 
lisher, enclosing stamp for reply. 
The .Vmerican Geological Society has just 
concluded its second animal meeting in the 
new lecture room of the American Muse- 
tim of Natural History in New York city 
