The following papers on American anthropology have appeared: Recent Discoveries in the American Bottom, by Mr. Henry R. Howland, Bull. Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sc., Mar. 2; The Mound-builders of Illinois, Western Rev., Nov.; in the same periodical, the paper of H. A, Rush on Mound-builders in Missouri, before the American Association; Are the Indians dying out? S. N. Clarke, Bureau of Education; Col. Garrick Mallery read a paper before the Washington Philosophical Society, Dec. 8, upon the same subject; Rink's Greenland is reviewed in Nature, Nov. 22d; Die Indianer Canadas, Globus, xxxii; Aboriginal Pottery of Salt Springs, Ill., Geo. E. Sellers in Popular Science Monthly, Sept.; On the Antiquity of Man in America, Dr. Daniel Wilson in Canadian Journal, Oct.; two volumes of Maj. Powell's Contributions to American Ethnology will soon appear, Vol. II, by Gatschett, Mallery, and others, and Vol. III by Powers, Crook, Hazen, and Powell; Notes on the Zaparos, paper read before the London Anthropological Institute, Nov. 27th; Explorations of Don F. P. Moreno in Patagonia, Geographical Magazine, 1877, No. 8; Ueber die Eingeborenen von Chiloe, L. Martin in Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 1877, H. 3; Das Land der Yukararer und dessen bewohner, H. v. Holten, same, Heft 2; Die gegenwärtige Läge der Indianer in den Vereinigten Staaten, Fred. v. Theilmann.-O. T. Mason, Washington, D. C.

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY.

A NEW MASTODON.-A new species of the Tetralophodon type has been recently discovered by Russell S. Hill, in the Loup Fork beds of Kansas, which is called by Prof. Cope (Palæontological Bulletin, No. 28) T. campester. It is allied to the T. sivalensis C. and F. in its dentition, and to the T. longirostris Kaup of Europe, in its lower jaw with prolonged symphysis. The specimen obtained has no indication of tusks in the symphysis, and the superior tusks have a broad band of enamel, which is not found in T. longirostris according to Vacek. T. mirificus Leidy, the only other American species of the group, has a short symphysis and a very different composition of the molar teeth. The T. campester is about the size of the African Elephant.

THE SNOUT FISHES OF THE KANSAS CHALK.-Prof. Cope recently read a paper before the meeting of the American Asso-ciation for the Advancement of Science at Nashville, on the order of fishes named by him Actinochiri in the final report of the Hayden Survey, stating that the genus Erisichthe must be referred to it. Species in England had been referred by Dixon to the genus Saurocephalus, and Sir P. D. G. Egerton had discovered that they possessed a snout somewhat like that of the sword fish. Prof. Mudge ascertained the same fact regarding

the American species, and Prof. Cope discovered that the fin structure was that of the order above named. These fishes were, then, fully armed; first, with an acute bony rostral weapon; second, with large lancet-like teeth; and third, with acute-edged bony pectoral spines.

A NEW GENUS OF OREODONTIDE.-From the Upper Miocene (Pliocene) of Montana, has recently been described by Prof. Cope, a new genus of Orcodontide, which holds an interesting intermediate position. It has the full dental formula and preorbital fossa of Oreodon, but the premaxillary bones form a single mass, as in Merycocharus, and there is a large lachrymal vacuity as in Leptauchenia. It differs from the last genus in the absence of frontal vacuities. The molars are shortcrowned, and not prismatic. It is named Ticholeptus, and the typical species, T. zygomaticus, is the size of Oreodon major. It has widely expanded zygomata, which have a horizontal platelike extension at the glenoid region. The anterior face of the united premaxillaries is flat, and the narcal fissure is deep. The molar teeth are remarkable for their wing-like external ribs, which curve forwards. Length of molar series M. .097; width of premaxillary in front .032; length of cranium .225.

PALEONTOLOGY of Georgia.-Prof. Little, director of the Geological Survey of Georgia, has accumulated a valuable collection of the vertebrate fossils of that State, of cretaceous and tertiary age. Among these there have been identified the dinosaurian Hadrosaurus tripos, and the turtles Taphrosphys strenuus and Amphiemys oxysternum, a new genus and species related to Adocus. Mr. Loughridge of the survey also discovered a very fine specimen of that rare Propleurid, the Peritresius ornatus.

SILURIAN AND CARBONIFEROUS PLANTS.-Prof. Lesquereux read before the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, last October, two papers, one describing a fungus (Rhizomorpha sigillaria), discovered under the bark of a Sigillaria from the Cannelton coal of Beaver Co., Penn. The other describes four species of plants from the Lower Silurian, viz.: a Psilophyton and Sphenophylum from the Cincinnati group of Covington, and a Psilophyton and an Annularia from the Lower Helderberg of Michigan. The first remains of land plants from the Lower Silurian were discovered by Dr. Scoville in the Cincinnati beds near Lebanon, Ohio.

A NEW ALLY OF SIVATHERIUM.-Dr. R. Lydekker of the geological survey of India, has recently discovered a new genus allied to Sivatherium which is of much interest. It lacks anterior horncores, and has but a single base for horns on the vertex.

EXTINCT REPTILES OF INDIA.-Dr. Lydekker describes the first Plesiosaurus discovered in India from the Umia beds of Kach. He refers to the discovery of remains of Megalosaurus from the upper cretaceous of Trichinopoli, and mentions the existence of a huge dinosaurian in the Lameta rocks of Jabalpur. It is represented by a femur and caudal vertebræ, and he names it Titanosaurius indicus. He, however, does not define the genus to which he desires the name to apply.

PALEONTOLOGICAL COURSE.-This course, at the Jardin des Plantes, by Prof. Albert Gaudry, includes an interesting discussion of the evidences of descent to be observed in the teeth and feet of the Mammalia artiodactyla. One part of it published in the Revue Scientifique is illustrated with many excellent cuts which convey important evidence to the eye. He refers to American observations in the same field, but commits a minor error in ascribing three upper incisors to the genus Procamclus, stating that Leidy has so determined it. The fact is that Dr. Leidy was unacquainted with the superior incisors of that genus, and that Prof. Cope first showed that it possesses but one, as in Camelus. Prof. Cope, however, discovered the genus Protolabis, which possesses the three superior incisors referred to by Prof. Gaudry.

GEOLOGY OF WISCONSIN.-The Geological Survey of Wisconsin first instituted by the late Dr. I. A. Lapham, has been carried on with evident vigor by Prof. T. C. Chamberlain, and his assistants, R. D. Irving and Moses Strong. While Professor Chamberlain reports on the geology of Eastern Wisconsin, Mr. Irving describes that of Central Wisconsin, and Mr. Strong discusses the geology and topography of the lead region. An appendix on microscopic lithology is contributed by Charles E. Wright. The illustrations are numerous and excellent, and the atlas of thirteen maps further enhances the value of the report. We have been especially interested in the account of the surface geology of the eastern portion of the state, particularly the description of the ancient fiords which run into Lake Michigan, and the determination of the Kettle range to be an old terminal moraine, as abundantly proved by the interesting and excellent diagram facing p. 204.

GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVELS.

GEOGRAPHICAL WORK OF HAYDEN'S SURVEY.—A photolithographic plate of the primary triangulation carried on during the summer of 1877. by Mr. A. D. Wilson, Chief Topographer, has just been published by the U. S. Geological Survey, under the charge of Dr. F. V. Hayden. The area covered by these triangles extends from Fort Steele in Wyoming territory, westward to Ogden in Utah territory, a distance of about 260 miles, and north

Geology of Wisconsin. Survey of 1873-1877, Vol. II., accompanied by an Atlas of Maps. Madison, 1877. 8° pp. 768.

as far as the Grand Teton, near the Yellowstone National Park, including Frémont's peak of the Wind River range of the Rocky mountains. The area embraces about twenty-eight thousand square miles, and within it, twenty-six primary stations were occupied and their positions accurately computed.

Besides these occupied stations a large number of mountain peaks were located, which in the future will be occupied as points for the extension of the topographical work of the survey.

A base line was carefully measured near Rawlins' springs, on the line of the Union Pacific railroad, and from this initial base the work was extended north and west to the valley of Bear river in Idaho territory. Here a check base was measured and the sytem expanded to the neighboring mountain peaks to connect with the triangulation as brought forward from the first mentioned base.

Along the line of the Union Pacific railroad the work was connected at six points with the triangulation system of Clarence King's 40th parallel survey.

In addition to the importance of this sheet as the base work of the season's topographical work it presents a most striking feature in the number of remarkably long sights which were taken from the summits of some of the most lofty mountains in the area explored. Many of these sights were over one hundred miles in length, while some reach a distance of one hundred and thirty-five miles. From Wind river peak all the prominent points in the Big Horn mountains were sighted, also the loftier peaks of the Uinta mountains; the former are located one hundred and sixty-five miles to the north-east, while the Uinta mountains are situated about the same distance to the south-west. As these ranges were not in the scope of the season's work they are not given on the chart.

THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.-In referring, however briefly, to the geographical work of our Transatlantic brethren, it must be considered a fitting opportunity to offer our congratulations to the American Geographical Society, which, incorporated in 1852, has now fully attained its majority; and the occasion is the more appropriate, as the society has recently acquired a new and commodious home, for which it is indebted to the public spirit and liberality so characteristic of American citizens, under the able direction of its distinguished President, Chief Justice Daly, whose eloquence and heartfelt regard for our favorite science cannot fail to have impressed his hearers during his late visit to this country. The American Geographical Society now numbers 1750 fellows, and possesses a geographical library of some 10,000 volumes and a large collection of maps, &c. Geographical operations on a large scale have been engrossed by the state in America; but the numerous and valuable papers contain

ed in the twelve volumes of "Proceedings," "Bulletin," and "Journal," issued by the society since 1852, sufficiently attest the vitality of geography in the country at large.-Sir Rutherford Alcock's address before the London Geographical Society.

The ex

GEOGRAPHICAL NEWS.-Mr. Wetherman has published at Lima a valuable report on his exploration of the Peruvian tributaries of the Amazon, giving an account of an adventurous descent of the rivers Perene, Tambo, and Ucayali, in balsas, specially constructed for the purpose, says the Geographical Magazine.-A Dutch Arctic reconnoissance has been resolved upon by the Dutch Arctic Committee, which will dispatch in the next May a small sailing vessel of 85 tons to the Spitzberger and Barents seas. pedition is paid for by the voluntary contributions of the whole people of Holland.-Herr Kiepert has lately presented to the Berlin Geographical Society a new map of Armenia, which embraces all available information and shows many additions to our previous knowledge of that region.—Among new books are, Upper Egypt, its People and its Products, by C. B. Klunzinger, M.D., with a prefatory notice, by Dr. George Schweinfurth (London, Blackie. 1878); The Monuments of Upper Egypt; A Translation of the Itinéraire de la Haute Egypte, of Auguste Marietto Bey (London: Trübner, 1877).

MICROSCOPY.1

THE POSTAL CLUB.-During the past year this society has continued its operations with full numbers, and with marked interest on the part of its members. The varied character of the objects contributed, and the sociable, gossipy nature of the notes, have made the boxes welcome throughout every part of the twentyseven circuits. Comparatively few slides have been broken on the way or by careless handling, especially in those circuits where the new style of boxes has been in use; and scarcely any annoyance has been experienced except an occasional refusal of some postmaster to take the boxes because they contained glass. Even / the difficulty in regard to the legality of mailing the slides has been as yet but a small and exceptional evil. The law against mailing glass is plain enough, the slides are unquestionably glass, and the objects are doubtless articles contained in glass; and it has been known from the first that to demand our rights under the law would be to break up the very useful practice of sending slides through the mails. Where the slides are properly packed and posted, however, without question or comment, there are very few postmasters known to be so stupidly officious as to take any notice of an act so perfectly harmless in itself and so entirely in accordance with the spirit of the law.

In addition to the regular boxes of the club, several contribu1 This department is edited by Dr. R. H. Ward, Troy, N. Y.