urial
was different, as there was no indication of fire being used, as was
the case with the lower burials. I would pronounce the upper
interments those of Indians of the present day; the tools found with
these were weapons of the chase. On the other hand, those found in the
vault were of a peaceful character, and their surroundings would
readily comport, in my opinion, to the glacial period. The entire
absence of flint in the bottom of the mound would show one of two
things, either they were unacquainted with the use of flint or at that
time there was no flint to be had. It is there now in great abundance,
in such forms for cutting purposes that would render the "cotton rock"
almost useless. The flint is found in a hill close to the river bank,
about half a mile from the mound, and the upper portion of the ledge
has the appearance, to me, of glacial action and probably forms a
moraine, as it has, evidently, been pushed over the underlying ledge,
and been ground and splintered in a manner that could not have been
without great crushing force. It would be reasonable enough to suppose
that the action of the river may have uncovered this flint by washing
away the softer material since the occupation of the older race.

In relation to the Indian interment in the examined mound, I could not
say distinctly whether the Indian burials had been such as to make
them aware of former burials or not, but I think from the thickness of
the clay between the two that they were ignorant of former burials.
The mounds of the modern Indian, so far as my investigations are
concerned, would indicate a more rudely formed structure which would
appear to be an imitation of the older mounds, as they are not
finished with like care nor have they the ulterior structures.--_The
Scientist_.

* * * * *

ACTION OF CAUSTIC SODA ON WOOD.

By M.H. TAUSS.

The researches of the author upon the action which water exerts upon
wood at a high temperature have shown how much of the incrusting
material can be removed without the aid of any reagent.

In connection with the manufacture of cellulose, it is also
interesting to prosecute at the same time experiments with solutions
of the caustic alkalies, in order to study the mode of action upon
both wood and pure cellulose. The manufacture of cellulose has for
many years been an industry, and yet little or nothing from a chemical
point of view is known of the action of