ian. In fact, it is not infrequently mistaken for black ob- Wurtzillite bears a remarkably close resemblance to uintahite. It has a similar color,, lustre, fracture and specific gravity, and it is about equally brittle. But wurtzillite readily burns, yielding a bright light from the combustion of illuminating gases. Again, its streak is black, and it is slightly sectile, being capable of being cut or pared by a knife much as rubber or horn may be pared. Wurtzillite has been reported from Wasatch County, as well as from Emery and Uintah Counties, in considerable amount. Asphaltum occurs in Emery and San Pete Counties. It is somewhat mixed with sand and other impurities, but it is already being mined in considerable quantity for paving the streets of various Western cities. In addition to wurtzillite, uintahite, asphaltum and ozocerite, other hydro-carbons are found in Utah; for example albertite, petroleum and natural gas. But, as yet, none of the latter have been made productive. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, July 29. HENRY MONTGOMERY. ANIMAL VOCABULARIES. A GOOD deal has been said about the probable existence of definite vocabularies in the language of the lower animals, and I believe one has gone to Africa to study Simian speech. This is all well enough, but there is no need of going beyond the barn yard to hear a definite animal vocabulary of a considerable number of words. Hear the rooster's warning cry when he sees or hears indications of danger. It is a definite sound, and perfectly understood by every hen and chick. Drop food to the mother hen. She quickly inspects it, and if approved, tells the little ones to eat, by uttering her well known "Coot, coot, coot!" If she decides that it is not fit to eat, she as plainly tells them to let alone. The other day a green worm fell from a tree near a brood of chickens. the morsel. Every chick ran to seize The mother gave one quick glance at the insect and said, "Skr-r-r-p!" Every chick stopped instantly. But one wilful child, loth to believe his mother's assurance that it wasn't fit to eat, would make him sick, etc., started a second time to pick up the worm. commanded the hen sharply. "Skr-r-r-p!" Even the wilful child obeyed this time, and the whole brood walked off contentedly. Discuss as we will the particular reason for the hen's cackle before and after laying, the fact remains that it is a definite utterance, as plainly understood by both gallinæ and homines as any expression in human speech. My horse has a low whinny which means "water," and a higher-keyed, more emphatic neigh means food. When I hear these sounds I know as definitely what she means as if she spoke in English. This morning, passing along the street, I heard that same low whinny and, looking up, saw a strange horse regarding me with a pleading look. I knew he was suffering from thirst, and no language could make it plainer. The language of the lower animals is not all articulate. It is largely a sign language. The horse does a deal of talking by motions of the head and by his wonderfully expressive looks. He also, upon occasion, talks with the other extremity. A peculiar switch of the tail and a gesture, as if threatening to kick, are equine forms of speech. The darkey was not far wrong who said of the kicking mule, "It's just his way of talking!" Vol. XXII. No. 549 whole sentences by wags of the tail more readily than can previous preparation is required. The study can be pur- A MAYA MONTH-NAME-KHMERS. IN Science, Aug 4, Professor Thomas gives a new name to the 17th month of the Maya calendar on the basis of a phonetic rendering of its symbol. dering; I think it quite possible he is right; but I seriousI do not intend to dispute the correctness of his renly question his inference, that, because the symbol reads ak-yab, that therefore was the month-name. The work kayab is from the verbal stem kay, to sing or warble. As this concept cannot be objectively represented, the Mayas had recourse to a method very familiar with them, that of the rebus, to convey or keep in memory its approximate sounds. They chose to indicate the gutturing it to the syllable yab. al initial k by a turtle, called in their tongue ak; prefix This method of writing is what I have called "ikonomatic," and I have shown abundant instances of it in Mexico and Central America. Americanist," pp. 213-229). Through neglecting to regard (See my "Essays of an its principles, both Prof. Thomas and Dr. Seler have made several obvious errors in translating the Mexican and Maya codices, as I expect to show in a work I am preparing on the calendar system of those nations. With regard to the origin of the Khmers and their ethnic affiliation, I do not think that Professor Keane's claim is relevant to that put forward by Dr. Maurel. The latter maintains that the Khmers belong to the "Aryan," in the sense of the "Sanscritic" peoples; and that they are in Cambodia an intrusive stock, arriving practically within historic times. I understand Professor Keane to differ with both these opinions. Media, Aug. 7. D. G. BRINTON. THEORY OF COLOR SENSATION. An objection to my theory of color-sensation (an abstract of which has lately appeared in Science) has been more than once made to me, which needs to be met, but which can be met very easily. It is that I suppose the three primary color-sensations to be conveyed to the brain by one and the same nerve, and hence that the theory is not consistent with the widely accepted doctrine of the specific energy of nerves,-the doctrine, namely, as applied to the eye, that we recognize two reds to be like sensations, not by any specific quality in the sensation, but by the fact that they affect the same set of nerves, and that if a pure blue light could by any possibility be made to cause these nerves to "vibrate" (to use the original Helmholtzian term) the sensation communicated to consciousness would still be red. But this doctrine, which has strong reasons in its favor, as regards the sense of hearing, had never much support in the sense of smell and taste, and has now been totally disproved for the sense of sight. A few years ago Holmgren announced a remarkable discovery, and at the same time a remarkable confirmation of the original theory of Helmholtz. He caused a very minute image of a point of light to fall upon the retina, so minute as to be smaller in diameter than the diameter of the rods and cones. If this image was of white light, it felt to the observer sometimes red, sometimes green and sometimes blue, as it moved about the retina; if it was of yellow light, it looked sometimes red and sometimes green; and the primary colors were at times altogether invisible. If this observation had been confirmed by other investigators, it would have proved conclusively that each minutest fibre of the optic nerve responds only to a limited range of vibration-periods of light, and that, as Helmholtz at first was inclined to suppose (he says explicitly in the first edition of his Physiological Optics that the three effects may all be capable of being transmitted by a single nerve), three adjacent fibres must participate in conveying a sensation of grey to the brain. But this observation of Holmgren has not been confirmed. The experiments have been repeated by Hering with quite opposite results, and he has also detected the probable source of Holmgren's error; and Hering's results have been confirmed in Helmholtz's laboratory. Hering's paper on the subject was published in Pfluger's Archiv some four years ago; I am unable to look up the exact date, as the admirable free public library of Duluth as yet lacks scientific books of a non-popular character. In view of these experiments, no writer on physiological optics (not even Helmholtz) at present expresses himself in any other language than that which implies that all the physiological processes essential to the production of grey-sensations and of color sensations may go on in a single cone (if not in a single rod). C. L. FRANKLIN. Duluth, Aug. 2, 1893. CURRENT NOTES ON ANTHROPOLOGY.-NO. XXXII. [Edited by D. G. Brinton, M. D., LL. D., D. Sc.] RECENTLY PUBLISHED AMERICAN CODICES. So rare are the documents which escaped the fanatic iconoclasm of the early missionaries, that it is a most agreeable duty to chronicle the discovery and publication of hitherto unknown Codices, or native manuscripts, of the Mexican and Central American peoples. Last year, the American Philosophical Society published in admirable style the Codex Poinsett, the fragment of a pre-Columbian book relating to the collection. of taxes in the ancient empire of Anahuac (a term entirely proper, in spite of Dr. Seler's onslaught upon it). Its name was given to it after Mr. Poinsett, formerly minister of the United States to Mexico, who brought it from that country and presented it to the Society, which has at considerable cost had it carefully chromo-lithographed and incorporated in its Transactions. With not less praiseworthy zeal the Royal Library of Perlin has within the present year issued fac-similes of sixteen fragments of native Mexican MSS., brought from that country by Alexander von Humboldt, accompanying them with a small volume (pp. 136) of explanatory text from the pen of Dr. Seler, whose knowledge of the subject places him in the very front rank of Mexicanists. A few of these fragments, three or four of them, date anterior to the conquest; but the majority are subsequent to it, though none probably later than 1571. They are all of value in the study of the hieroglyphic script. A third Codex of remarkable interest, and unquestionably ancient, has been published at Geneva by M. Henry de Saussure under the title of "Le Manuscrit du Cacique.' It contains sixteen pages or plates, in colors, and tolerably well preserved. According to the statements about it, it is not of Nahuatl, but of Mistecan origin, which would increase its value, as this tribe is one of whom we have few monuments, though we know its culture ranked high, and dated from remote antiquity. It is said to contain the biography of a certain powerful Cacique, by name Sar Ho, whence the name given it. The great libraries of our country should not delay to secure copies of these three ancient documents, as they are all published in limited editions, and they should be placed within reach of those in this country who devote some of their time to the fascinating problem of American hieroglyphic writing. ETHNOLOGIC JURISPRUDENCE. The first volume of a work, which will certainly be an epoch-making one, has appeared in Germany. It is Dr. Albert Hermann Post's "Grundriss der Ethnologischen Jurisprudenz" (A. Schwartz, Leipzig). It will be followed by a second volume, which will not be long delayed. The author is already well known as a leading student in this department of ethnology, and also as a profound thinker on the fundamental problems of the social relations of man. In his present work he sets out in the first volume to exhibit all the primitive forms of law, custom and procedure, so that from them the fundamental and universal principles of the jurisprudence of all nations can be deduced. The second volume will indicate the development of these general principles in special fields of human law. In this first volume, Dr. Post defines the elementary forms of the social organization as all reducible to four, the consanguine, the territorial, the feudal, and the social; or, the tribal, the communal, the regal and the democratic. Each of these has its own peculiar theory of what relates to ethics, rights and laws; and though in minor details there are constant and wide variations, each is controlled in its development by obedience to certain underlying principles, which place its moral and legal codes on diverse paths of development. They are in a measure historically sequent, the consanguine organization always being that of men in the lowest stages of culture, while the true social organization is as yet chiefly ideal, and may never be fully reached in practice. The style of the author is terse and clear, and his reading is most extensive and accurate. The field he has chosen is a comparatively new one, and the results he has reached are in the highest degree of immediate and practical importance. It has been well said by Dr. Krauss, of Vienna, in a recent publication, that it would be a fortunate chance to substitute some of Dr. Post's reflections on the rights of humanity for the wholesale murder stories which stir the heart of youth in the school readers, under the name of patriotic wars. THE STUDY OF PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY. Now that archæology is recognized to be the only guide where history is silent, and often the more trustworthy guide where history talks a good deal, its systematic study should interest all who occupy themselves with questions of the higher education. Dr. Hoernes, whose work on that branch has been already mentioned in these columns, contributes to the last number of the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie a scheme for the instructor, which is intended to present all the science in the most favorable manner for the student. It is as follows: Explanatory. Relations of prehistory to history and to anthropology, both physical and ethnological. Systematic. 1. Introductory. History of the science. Sources of information, literary and monumental, with critical estimates of their values. 2. Methodical presentation. Geographical and ethnic divisions. Factors of evolution, as discovery, borrowing, alteration, descent. Special forms, as language, religion, law, family, government, clothing, food, ornament, commerce, etc. 3. Typological presentation. Models of workshops, houses, fortresses, altars, sepulchres; also weapons, tools, utensils, etc.; their use and development. 4. Historical presentation. First, with reference to natural history, the origin, races, varieties and migrations of men; second, cultural history, as the stone, bronze and iron ages; the paleolithic and neolithic periods; proto-historic culture; dawn of civilization, etc. This scheme appears to offer a comprehensive plan for bringing the science before a class. MIGRATION OF THE AZTECS. The Society of Geography and Statistics of the Republic of Mexico has just issued a second edition of a work by its first secretary, the licentiate Eustaquio Buelna, entitled "Peregrinacion de los Aztecas, y Nombres Geograficos Indigenas de Sinaloa." The first edition was published in 1887, and received a certain measure of praise on account of the new material it offered concerning the tribes and languages of northwestern Mexico. This has been added to in the present edition, and in this respect it is welcome; but that the author has seen fit to expand and illustrate his theories on the pre-historic migrations of the Aztecs, is to be regretted, as he does but disseminate under the name of the society various exploded errors. When, for instance, shall we hear the last of the "Atlantis?" Over and over again, its existence has been disproved, but it is ever rising in the minds of those who do not know what time o' day it is in science. How often must it be shown that the name "Atlantic" has nothing to do with "Aztlan" or "Aztalan," but is a Berber word meaning "mountain." Yet Buelna repeats and adopts these eighteenth century etymologies. Our faith in his acquirements in the Nahuatl language wanes considerably when we find him (p. 323) deriving the word nahuatl from nahui, four, and all, water, for it is elementary that the terminal is dropped in composition. Of course, the "Toltecs" figure largely, although their existence as a nation has been disproved. It cannot be said that Senor Buelna has approached this part of his subject with the requisite knowledge of its literature; and one cannot but regret that he seems unacquainted with the voluminous writings of Buschmann on the proper names and languages of Sinaloa and Sonora. NOTE ON CROTALUS ADAMANTEUS. diamond rattlesnake, Crotalus adamanteus, Beau., that February 22, students while out collecting birds shot a measured five feet ten inches in length and nine inches around the thickest portion of the body. From the glossiness of the scales it is thought that it had recently moulted. There were only five rattles and a button present, which seems quite remarkable for such a long reptile. If I am not mistaken, such large animals of this species usually have more. These animals, though once quite abundant, are becoming quite uncommon. The demand for their skins and rattles to make into Florida has done much to destroy this venomous animal. The skin is made into belts and neckties, while the rattles are used for sets on the ties and elsewhere. P. H. ROLFS. Fla. Agr. Coll., Lake City, Fla. BOOK-REVIEWS. Le Lait PAR P. LANGLOIS. Paris, Gauthier-Villars et Fils, Quai des Grands-Augustins, 55. 188p. 8°. La Biere PAR L. LINDET. Paris, Gauthier-Villars et Fils, Quai des Grands-Augustins, 55. 206p. 8°. THE above treatise on Milk, by P. Langlois, Chief of the Physiological Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, is divided into two parts the first treating the subject theoretically, the second from the technical standpoint. Beginning with a chapter on chemical composition, the author proceeds with a discussion of the phenomena of coagulation, of milk secretion, and of the varying composition of different milks. A chapter each is devoted to woman's milk and to cow's milk, while others treat of the digestibility of milk, infant alimentation, and milk micro-organisms. The technical portion treats of milk analysis and adulteration. Under the first head is given in detail the admirable method used at the Municipal Laboratory of Paris, as well as the methods of Grandeau, Quesneville, and Adams. The various rapid methods are discussed in detail, and excellent means for the preservation of milk suggested. The book is new and a welcome addition to our literature on the subject. Dr. L. Lindet, in his work on Beer, has produced a manual valuable to all interested in Brewing, either as a scientific study or from the purely technical view. The last half of the book is devoted to the practical process of brewing, following in main the procedure adopted in France, the limitations of the book preventing a more general discussion. The first part, however, is of wide interest, treating in an attractive and scientific manner Barley, Malt, Yeast and Hops, of the processes of saccharification, and of alcoholic fermentation. A shorter preliminary chapter touches upon the legislation and statistics regarding beer. The book does not impress one as a mere compilation from more exhaustive authors, but is distinctly a treatise upon the state of the science at the present hour, and is a most convenient book for reference. These volumes form part of the Encyclopédie Scientifique des Aide-Mémoire, published under the direction of M. H. Léauté, Member of the Institute of France. This publication, which is distinguished by its practical character, is moreover scientific in its accuracy and in the authorative Delicious Drink. Horsford's Acid Phosphate with water and sugar only, makes a delicious, healthful and invigorating drink. Allays the thirst, aids digestion, and relieves the lassitude so common in midsummer. When com names which appear upon the title pages. C. P. The American Book Company have just issued a revised edition of William Swinton's "School History of the United States," the first edition of which appeared some twenty years ago. As the author is now dead, the revision of the work has been done by the editorial department of the Company, and the history has been continued to the present time. The book is well printed, and contains many maps and illustrations. Another book from the same house is a series of "Exercises in Greek Prose Composition," based on the first four books of the Anabasis and prepared by William R. Harper, President of the University of Chicago, and Clarence F. Castle, assistant professor of Greek in the same institution. The Company have also issued two volumes of their "English Classics for Schools," one of them containing three of Emerson's essays, and the other being an edition of Matthew Arnold's "Sohrab and Rustum," with an introduction giving a sketch of his life and writings and some other matter useful to the student. EXCHANGES. [Free of charge to all, if of satisfactory character. Address N. D. C. Hodges, 874 Broadway, New York.] I wish to exchange a New Model Hall Typewriter, price $30, for a Daylight Kodak, 4x5 preferred. George A. Coleman, Dep't. Agric., Div. of Ornithology, Washington, D. C. Wants. - A position as teacher of Biology, by WANTED. an experienced teacher, a college graduate with four university post-graduate courses in the Sciences. Good endorsements, and eighteen years' experience. Address A. N. Somers, La Porte, Ind. WANTED. Assistant in Nautical Almanac office, Navy Department. The Civil Service Commission will hold an examination on August 15 to Exchange- The undersigned is desirous of ob- fill a vacancy in the position of assistant (computer) taining correspondents interested in macro-lipidop-in the Nautical Almanac office. The subjects will tera, in Alaska, the far Western, Southwestern be letter-writing, penmanship, trigonometry, rudiand Southern States. Will also exchange rare ments of analytical geometry and calculus, logalepidoptera for entomological literature. Levi W. rithms, theory and practice of computations, and Mengel, Reading, Penn. astronomy. Each applicant must provide himself with a five-place logarithmic table. The examinaare filed in season, arrangements may be made for tion will be held in Washington, and if applications examinations in the large cities. Blanks will be furnished upon application to the Commission at Washington. Wanted to exchange- Medical books, Obstetri|cal Transactions, London, Works of Sir J. Y. Simpson, Beck's Medical Jurisprudence. Handbook for the Physiological Laboratory, by Burnton, Foster, Klein and Sanderson, Quain's Anatomy and about fifty others. Catalogues given. Want exchange. Dr. A. M. Edwards, 11 Washington St., Geological, Botanical and Microscopical books in D Commission will hold examinations on August Newark, N. J. 15 to fill two vacancies in the War Department; one RAFTSMEN WANTED. The Civil Service in the position of architectual draftsman, salary $1,400, the other in the position of assistant draftsA complete set of Bulletins of U. S. Geological man, Quartermaster General's office, salary $1,200, Dr. M. H. Henry, New York, says: Survey, various reports and bulletins of surveys of The subjects of the architectural draftsman examiMissouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Alabama, Illinois, nation are letter-writing, designing specifications "When completely tired out by pro- iron ores of Minnesota; Wailes Agriculture and the assistant draftsman examination they are New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio and Texas; and mensuration, and knowledge of materials; of longed wakefulness and overwork, it is Geology of Mississippi (rare). To exchange for peri- letter-writing, tracing, topographic drawing and odicals and books on Entomology or for Lepidop- projections. The examination will be held in of the greatest value to me. As a bev- tera. Rev. John Davis, the Deanery, Little Rock, Washington, and if applications are filed in season, arrangements may be made for examinations in the erage it possesses charms beyond anylarge cities. Blanks will be furnished upon appliFor sale or exchange. A complete set of the re-cation to the Commission at Washington. thing I know of in the form of medi-port of the last Geological Survey of Wisconsin. T. C. Chamberlin, geologist. It consists of four A YOUNG man who has been through the course cine." large volumes, finely llustrated, and upwards of in mathematics in Princeton University, forty large maps and charts, Will sell for cash or wishes some tutoring this summer. Rates reasonexchange for a microscope. Address Geo. Beck, able. Address P. H. Westcott, Cramer's Hill, CamPlatteville, Wis. den Co., N. J. Descriptive pamphlet free. Rumford Chemical Works, Providence, R. I. Ark. I have a fire-proof safe, weight 1,150 pounds, A GRADUATE of an American Polytechnic insti- THE MODERN MALADY; or, Suf- LIGHTNING DESTROYS! ferers from 'Nerves. An introduction to public consideration, from a non-medical point of view, of a condition of ill-health which is increasingly Shall it be your house or a QUERY. Can any reader of Science cite a case of lightning stroke in which the dissipation of a small Entirely new departure in pro- conductor (one-sixteenth of an prevalent in all ranks of society. In the pound of copper? first part of this work the author dwells on the errors in our mode of treating Neuras thenia, consequent on the wide ignorance of the subject which still prevails: in the sec ond part, attention is drawn to the principal tecting buildings from lightning. inch in diameter, say,) has failed causes of the malady. The allegory forming One hundred feet of the Hodges to protect between two horizon the Introduction to Part I. gives a brief his tory of nervous exhaustion and the modes of treatment which have at various times been Patent Lightning Dispeller tal planes passing through its thought suitable to this most painful and try (made under patents of N. D. C. upper and lower ends respectiveHodges, Editor of Science) will ly? Plenty of cases have been ing disease. By CYRIL BENNETT. 120, 184 pp., $1.50. N. D. C. HODGES, Send 25 Cents For a 3-months' trial subscription to NURSERY GUIDE, be sent, prepaid, to any ad- Correspondence solicited. Agents wanted. 874 Broadway, New York City. Fact and Theory Papers found which show that when the conductor is dissipated the building is not injured to the extent explained (for many of these see volumes of Philosophical Trans AMERICAN LIGHTNING PROTECTION CO., actions at the time when lightning was attracting the attention of the Royal Society), but not an exception is yet known, al I. THE SUPPRESSION OF CON-lished far and wide among electhough this query has been pubSUMPTION. BY GODFREY W. HAMBLETON, M.D. 12°. 40c. By tricians. First inserted June 19, 1891. No response to date. IV. THE CHEROKEES IN PRE-CO- N. D. C. HODGES, 874 BROADWAY, N. Y. LUMBIAN TIMES. BY CYRUS THOMAS. 12°. $1. V. THE TORNADO. By H. A. HAZEN. SCIENCE CLUBBING RATES. 12°. $1. VI. 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