214 
SCIENCE. 
The next United States Congress will act on a bill, 
reported in the last Congress, in support of an Inter- 
national Commission to agree on standard tests for 
color blindness and standard requirements for visual 
power in navies and merchant marines. Dr. R. Joy 
Jeffries, A. M., of 15 Chestnut street, Boston, Mass., 
will be glad to have public or private statistics or 
information in relation to this subject. 
The attention of those interested in Hygiene reform 
is directed to the Hygiene Convention and Exhibition 
of inventions, mechanical contrivances and processes 
relating to sanitary and household economies to be 
held at Wellesley, Mass., commencing November 3rd, 
and ending November the 9th. 
A most attractive programme has been arranged, 
which reflects the highest credit on those who have 
organized the arrangements. Tickets and programmes 
can be obtained at the St. Nicholas Hotel, New York ; 
Hotel Wellesley, Wellesley, Mass., or of the Execu- 
tive Committee, 158 Tremont Street, Boston, Mass. 
THE COMETS. 
There are now four comets visible with a good tel- 
escope, but none of them can be seen with the naked 
eye. They are all growing fainter, and after a few 
weeks they will become invisible, even in the most 
powerful telescopes. 
The first is the one discovered by Mr. Schterbele 
at Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is in the morning sky, 
and its position for November 4 will be: 
A. R. = 5 h. 18.9 m. Deck South = 7 0 33'. 
The second is the one discovered by Mr. Hartwig, 
at Strasburg, Germany ; and also, independently, on 
the next night by Professor Harrington, of Ann Arbor, 
Michigan. The position of this comet on November 
2 will be : 
A. R. = 18 h. 21.7 m. Deck North = 9 0 59'. 
It is thought by Professor Winnecke that this comet 
is a return of the one of 1506, 
The third is the comet discovered by Mr. Lewis 
Swift, at Rochester, New York, on October 10. This 
is a faint object, and its position on November 2 will 
be nearly as follows : 
A. R. = 22 h. 0.0 m. Deck North 34 0 15'. 
No orbit of this comet has been computed. 
The fourth comet is the one with a period of seven 
and a third years, and known as Faye’s, having been 
discovered by M. Faye, of Paris, in 1843. The orbit 
of this comet has been investigated in an admirable 
manner by Professor Axel Moeller, of Lund, Sweden, 
and its motion is nearly as well known as that of a 
planet. The ephemeris furnished by Professor Moeller 
for the present return is almost exactly correct. The 
position of this comet for November 2 will be : 
A. R. = 22 h. 53.5 m Deck South = 0 ° 25'. 
Since this comet is always at a great distance from the 
sun, it is a faint object, even on the most favorable 
occasions. It will soon be invisible except in the 
larger telescopes. 
Washington, Oct. 28, 1880 A. Hall. 
ETHNOLOGY.* 
FRAGMENTARY NOTES ON THE ESKIMO OF CUMBERLAND 
SOUND. 
By Ludwig Kumlien. 
III. 
Since whalers began to cruise in the Cumberland 
waters, they have found that it is decidedly to their 
advantage to hire boats’ crews of natives to assist in 
the capture of whales. They make good whalemen. 
When such crews are secured, they wisely count in all 
of their family in the bargain, so that to secure the 
services of a crew of seven men one must feed thirty 
or more. While working for whalers, the Eskimo de- 
pend almost wholly on the ship for their food supply; 
as a consequence, they are fast becoming poor hunters 
and prefer to lounge around a vessel and pick up such 
scraps as offer themselves rather than to strike out for 
themselves and live independently and in comparative 
plenty. 
As to meals, or regular meal-times, they eat when 
hungry, if they have anything. They always eat in the 
morning before going out to hunt ; but the principal 
meal is in the evening, on their return. When sup- 
plied with rations by the ships, they often have their 
regular meals aboard ; but this does in no wise hinder 
them from taking their usual evening allowance of 
raw meat when they return to their huts. 
That the Eskimo possess considerable powers of 
abstinence cannot be disputed ; but it is not so 
remarkable after all, for they certainly have had ample 
experience in this direction. That they are able to 
bear temporary or sustained exertion better than the 
whites is doubtful. They are acclimated and have 
clothing suited to the climate, and readily adapt them- 
selves to the rude shelter of a snow-bank, if necessary ; 
but give a healthy white man as good clothes, and he 
will stand as much fatigue, and perhaps more. 
While hunting with the Eskimo, we often had our 
noses and faces frozen, when the cold did not seem to 
affect the Eskimo in the least ; but when it came to a 
tramp through the snow all day long, few of them would 
stand it any better than we could. 
Some have judged their powers of endurance from 
the manner in which they will follow their game ; but 
it seems tons that it is rather their wonderful patience, 
for we have known them to follow animal tracks for a 
whole day, when we confess we could not discover 
the faintest trace of a track, except at long distances 
apart. They will discover many traces of animals on 
the snow that a white man would pass by and not 
notice. When traveling either on the ice or water, 
they make the journey by short, easy stages, stopping 
as soon as they feel the least tired, and recruiting; if 
* Bulletin (15) of the United States National Museum. Contributed to 
the Natural History of Arctic America, made in connection with the 
1 Howgate Polar Expedition, 1877-78. 
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