416 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
deed, there are many competent authorities who assert that the recent pain- 
fully disastrous floods that have happened in the South of France would 
have never occurred had the upper districts been properly clad, as they once 
were, with large vegetation. This book of Dr. Brown’s shows us clearly 
that such was the case in South Africa, and that the result has been a certain 
amount of aridity of the soil which will not, he opines, be removed till 
some attempt to re-clothe the ground with large vegetation is made. 
PHRENOLOGY* 
T HIS is a book that we are surprised to see bearing the name of Long- 
mans as its publisher. It is one written by a man who is evidently a 
“ Professor ” of Phrenology, and who is ignorant of anatomy. It is some- 
thing better than most books of its class, but it is not by any means a 
scientific work. 
SMITHSONIAN REPORT, f 
A S usual, the first part of the Report is occupied with the business 
reports, monetary matters, &c., of the institution. But the latter 
half of the volume is filled with a series of memoirs, some of which are of 
extreme interest and importance. And first, we would call attention to 
the splendid memoir of Mr. H. Gilman, on “The Mound-builders and 
Platycnemism in Michigan.” Perhaps our readers may not know what 
Platycnemism may signify. We shall, therefore, say that it refers to the 
habit among ancient races of American Indians of flattening the tibia , or 
leg-bone. And on the remains of this interesting group Mr. Gilman gives 
ample information, his remarks being illustrated by several explanatory 
wood-cuts. Other papers of considerable interest and importance are those 
on “ Agassiz,” and on “ Charles Babbage.” There is, too, a reprint from 
The (London) Academy of a capital paper by Professor Helmholtz, on “ The 
Connection between Electricity and Magnetism.” Dr. Dalton, too, con- 
tributes a noteworthy essay on “ The Origin and Propagation of Disease.” 
Other articles in the volume are, “On Warming and Ventilating Buildings,” 
by M. A. Morin ; “The Leipsig Museum of Ethnology,” by Herr 0. T. 
Mason; and a mathematical paper of interest, entitled “Additions to a 
Memoir on Methods of Interpolation applicable to the Graduation of Irre- 
gular Series,” &c. 
* “ The Skull and Brain : their Indications of Character and Anatomical 
Relations.” By N. Morgan. London : Longmans. 1875. 
f “ The Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution for the year 1873.” Washington, U.S.A.: Government Printing 
Office, 1874. [Though dated 1874, it did not reach us till after the July 
No. of the Popular Science Review was issued in 1875. — Ed. P. S. P.] 
