at Newport, R. I. The individual figured was found in a garden in Pelham street of the last named city. Some indi

viduals placed in a garden in Burlington, New Jersey, were shortly after found in an adjoining cellar. This species is readily distinguished by the rich brown or black stripes

jaw are figured above, grows about three inches long (Fig. 46). It is characterized by a brownish color, with oblongoval uncolored spots; body cylindrical, elongated, terminating in a short

Fig. 47.

prominent keel;

mantle oval,

rounded at both ends, with round

ed spots; base of

Arion fuscus.

foot sallow white. It has been noticed for more than forty years in the cities of our Atlantic coast, and probably has followed the white man over the whole, country.

Arion fuscus belongs to a different genus from the last named slugs (Fig. 47). It is readily distinguished by its

jaw which has no median beak-like projection to its cutting edge, but has rib-like processes on its anterior face, crenulating the margin. Its tongue differs also in the form of the teeth. In the forepart of its body, under the rounded shield-like process of the skin, there are calcareous grains instead of a well formed plate. And finally at its tail is a decided triangular perpendicular mucus pore. It grows about one inch long. The color is whitish, grayish or brownish; upper surface marked with elongated crowded glands; mantle oval, granulated; tail obtuse, not carinated; the sides marked with an obscure brownish line. It is of European origin and thus far has only been noticed in Boston and vicinity. It is not properly a cellar snail, but is found with the preceding species around kitchens and gardens.

REVIEWS.

CHALCHIHUITLS. — [Mr. Squier has in this communication to the Lyceum given a very important and interesting summary of what is known relating to the carved "green stones" from Mexico and Central America, and as he has kindly placed the original cuts of the article in our hands, we make this review in the form of extracts from his communication. In a future number we shall give figures of a few similar carved stones collected by Mr. McNiel in Nicaragua.]

"Among the articles of ornament used by the aboriginal inhabitants of Mexico and Central America, those worked from some variety of green stone resembling emerald, and called by the Nahuatl or Mexican name chalchiuitl, chalchihuitl, or chalchiuite, † were most highly esteemed, and are oftenest mentioned by the early explorers and chroniclers. The word chalchiuitl is defined by Molina, in his Vocabulario Mexicano (1571), to signify esmeralda baja, or an inferior kind of emerald. The precious emerald, or emerald proper, was called quetzalitztli, from the quetzal, the bird known to science as the Trogon resplendens (the splendid plumes of which, of brilliant metallic green were worn by the kings of Mexico and

* Observations on a Collection of Chalchihuitls from Mexico and Central America. By E. G. Squier. From the Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York. 1869.

I have followed the orthography of the word throughout, as given by the various authors quoted.

Central America as regal insignia), and itzli, stone; i. e. the stone of the quetzal.

Sahagun mentions four of the Mexican gods who were the especial patrons of the lapidaries, and honored as the inventors of the art of working stones and chalchiuites, and of drilling and polishing them.' He does not, however, describe the process made use of by the Indians in cutting precious stones, 'because,' he says, 'it is so common and well understood;' an omission which his editor, Bustamente, regrets, 'since the art is now entirely lost.'

Quetzalcoatl, the lawgiver, high-priest, and instructor of the Mexicans in the arts, is said to have taught not only the working of metals, but

Fig. 48.

'particularly the art of cutting precious stones, such as chalchiuites, which are green stones, much esteemed, and of great value.' (Torquemada, lib. vi., cap. xxiv.) Quetzalcoatl himself, according to certain traditions, was begotten by one of these stones, which the goddess Chimalma had placed in her bosom. Indeed, both among the Mexicans and the nations farther to the southward, the chalchihuitl seems to have represented everything that was excellent in its kind. Its name was used in compounding designations of distinction and honor, and was applied both to heroes and divinities. The goddess of water bore the name of Chalchiuitlcuye, the women of the chalchiuites;

and obsidian.

pan was often applied to the city of Tlaxcalla, from a beautiful fountain of water near it, the color of which, according to Torquemada, 'was between blue and green.' Cortez, according to the same authority, was often called Chalchiuil. which is the same as captain of great valor, because chalchiuit is the color of emerald, and the emeralds are held in high estimation among the nations.' (Monarchia Indiana, vol. 1, p. 435.) When a great dignitary died his corpse was richly decorated for burial with gold and plumes of feathers, and they put in his mouth a fine stone resembling emerald, which they call chalchihuitl, and which, they say, they place as a heart.' (Ib., vol. ii. p. 521.)

Sahagun, in one place describes the chalchihuitl as 'a jasper of very green color, or a common emerald.' Elsewhere he goes into a very full description of the various kinds of green stones which the Mexicans held in esteem, and as his account may materially aid in identifying the chalchihuitl, it is subjoined entire :

The emerald which the Mexicans call quetzalitztli is precious, of great value, and is so called, because by the word quetzalli they mean to say a very green plume, and by

Fig. 49.

itztli, flint. It is smooth,
without spot; and these
peculiarities belong to
the good emerald; name-
ly, it is deep green with
a polished surface, with-
out stain, transparent,
and at the same time lus-
trous. There is another
kind of stone which is
called quetzalchalchivitl,
so called because it is
very green and resem-
bles the chalchivill; the
best of these are of deep
green, transparent, and
without spot; those
which are of inferior
quality have veins and
spots intermingled. The
Mexicans work these
stones into various
shapes; some are round
and pierced, others long,
cylindrical, and pierced;
others triangular, hexag-
onal or square.
There
are still other stones
called chalchivites, which
are green (but not trans-
parent), mixed with
white; they are much used by the chiefs, who wear them fastened to
their wrists by cords, as a sign of rank. The lower orders (maceguales)
are not allowed to wear them. . . . There is yet another stone called
tlilaiotic, a kind of chalchuite, in color black and green mixed. . . . And
among the jaspers is a variety in color white mixed with green, and for
this reason called iztacchalchiuitl.* Another variety has veins of clear

Chalchihultl, or engraved precious stone, from Ocosingo,
Central America. Full size.

*Iztac signifies white; 1. e. white chalchihuitl.

green or blue, with other colors interspersed with the white. . . . And there is yet another kind of green stone which resembles the chalchiuities, and called xoxouhquitecpatl.* It is known to the lapidaries as tecelic, for the reason that it is very easy to work, and has spots of clear blue. The wrought and curious stones which the natives wear attached to their wrists, whether of crystal or other precious stones, they call chopilotla designation that is given to any stone curiously worked or very beautiful.' (Historia de Nueva España, lib. xi., cap. viii.) The same author, describing the ornaments which the Mexican lords used in their festivals, speaks of a head-dress called quetzalalpitoai, consisting of two tassels of rich plumes, set in gold, and worn suspended from the hair at the crown of the head, and hanging down on each side towards the shoulders. They also wear rings of gold around the arms and in their ears, and round their wrists a broad band of black leather, and suspended to this a large bead of chalchiuitl or other precious stone. They also wear a chin ornament (barbote) of chalchiuitl set in gold, fixed in the beard. Some of these barbotes are large crystals, with blue feathers put in them, which give them the appearance of sapphires. There are many other varieties of precious stones which they use for barbotes. They have their lower lips slit, and wear these ornaments in the openings, where they appear as if coming out of the flesh; and they wear in the same way semilunes of gold. The noses of the great lords are also pierced, and in the openings they wear fine turquoises or other precious stones, one on each side. They wear strings of precious stones around their necks, sustaining a gold medal set round with pearls, and having in its centre a smooth precious stone.' (Ib., lib. viii. cap. ix.)

In these descriptions, it will be seen that the chalchihuitls are spoken of as ornaments, round or oblong beads, which conforms with the representations in the paintings. But these or similar green stones were used for other purposes. The chronicler Villagutierre, in his account of the conquest of the Itzaes of Yucatan, speaks of idols in their temples of precious jasper, green, red, and of other colors;' and, in describing the great temple of Tayasal, mentions particularly an idol which was found in it, a span long, of rough emerald (esmeralda bruta), which the infidels called the god of Battles,' and which the conquering general, Ursua, took as part of his share of the spoil.

The Mexicans nevertheless had true emeralds, of which we have left to us the most glowing descriptions. Gomara describes particularly five large ones which Cortez took with him from Mexico to Spain at the time of his first visit, and which were regarded as among the finest in the world. They were valued at 100,000 ducats, and for one of them the Genoese merchants offered 40,000 ducats, with the view of selling it to the Grand Turk. Cortez had also the emerald vases, which the padre Mariana assures us, in the supplement of his History of Spain, were worth 300,000 ducats. They are reported to have been lost at sea. All these emeralds

From xoxouhqui, cosa verde, something green, and tecpatl, stone; i. e. green stone.