3o8 
The Ohio Xaturalist. 
[Vol. V, No. 5, 
same time avoiding the running of nature study into a mere fad 
of nature romance, will doubtless be agreed by all true 
naturalists. 
Readers of the X.\tur.\list will find much of interest in the 
numbers of the Review so far published and doubtless future 
numbers will be of equal interest and value. H. O. 
MEETING OF THE BIOLOGICAL CLUB. 
Ortox H.tLL, Jan. 9, 19().o 
The meeting was called to order by the Vice-President, Miss 
Riddle. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and 
a])proved. The first speaker of the evening was Prof. W. C. 
l\lills, whose subject was ‘ ‘The Ainu of Japan.” Prof. Mills came 
into personal contact with the Ainu at the St. Louis Exposition, 
and was able to illustrate his talk with several photographs and 
with specimens of their handiwork. The Ainu are one of the 
primitive jieoples of Japan and at present inhabit the northern 
islands, principally Yezo. At ]iresent there are about 17, ()()() 
Ainu and about 900, ()()() Japanese on this island. The nine Ainu 
who were brought to St. Louis were the first to leave their native 
land in 1400 years. The men all wear long beards and the 
women tattoo their faces to represent a beard. This tattooing 
is begun at about the age of nine and is done by cutting the flesh 
and rubbing in the wounds soot from the bottom of their cooking 
vessels. The average height of the men is about 5 ft. 4 in. 
Their eyes are horizontal ; the skin is white, and their features 
resemble those of many of the white races of Plurope. The 
women weave a kind of cloth called Artus, made from the fibers 
of the Elm and from this they make much of their clothing. This 
clothing is usually decorated with certain entirely original, spiral 
patterns. Their religious customs are very peculiar. The bear 
plays an important part in their religion and the bear hunt and 
feast is one of their singular customs. 
Prof. Osborn then gave an account of the recent meeting of 
the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of 
some of its affiliated societies. Prof. Lazenby also spoke of some 
of the affiliated societies, es]jecially the Society of Agriculturists 
and the Society of Horticulturists. 
Prof. Landacre gave a short account of the meeting of the 
Ohio Educational Society and the mid-winter meeting of the 
Ohio Academy. 
On the motion of Prof. Schaffner the following were elected 
to membership: E. C. Cotton, G. E. Lamb, T. P. Pratt and T. P. 
White. 
The club then adjourned until the first Monday in February. 
F. M. SuRF.\CE, Secretary. 
Date of Publication of March Number, March 23, 1905. 
