Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 12.djvu/391

Rh of the pumpkin contains a large proportion of nitrogen, and the seeds yield a high percentage of oil. "The presence of such large amounts of oil, and of albuminous matters," adds Prof. Storer, in the Bulletin of the Bussy Institution, "would naturally go to show that pumpkin-seeds must be a highly-nutritious kind of food; and it may well be true that they are valuable for some kinds of animals, when administered carefully and in moderate quantity. But it has often been urged that the seeds are apt to do harm to animals that have eaten them. . . . There is little question that this idea is to a certain extent founded in fact." The dangers of using the seeds must, however, be both small and remote, since, as the author shows, New England farmers usually feed out the seeds with the flesh; still they should not be fed to milch-cows. Regarding the use of these seeds as articles of human food, the author quotes Pumpelly as saying that the kernels are eaten by the Chinese. In Egypt, too, pumpkin-seeds are eaten in the same way that nuts are eaten in other countries.

Ancient Man in Japan.—Prof. E. S. Morse has made an important discovery in the study of ancient man in this part of the world, lighting on evidence of the remains of prehistoric inhabitants of Nippon who apparently must have antedated even the Ainos. The eyes of this distinguished scholar, possessing as they do the rare quality of seeing, observed, while he was on his first trip to the capital from Yokohama, one of those significant shell-heaps which have been found in many countries and prove the high antiquity of the human race. This particular kjockkenmoedding is situated near Omori, on the line of the railroad, and is rich in evidence of a rude people that dwelt in Japan at a very early age. Prof. Morse has been engaged for many years in the study of these mounds, as found in Maine, North Carolina, and Florida. This heap, which is about ten feet in thickness at its greatest diameter, under a loam-deposit of six feet, and half a mile from the present shore of the bay, exhibits all the peculiarities of its type, containing bone, both in fragment and rudely fashioned into implements, and characteristic pottery. Some of the earthenware is curious enough, and is thoroughly representative of a development of the race coinciding with that of the ancient savages of America and Europe. The professor has made an exhaustive study of the deposit, and there seems little doubt of its true character. As, however, he has consented to address the Asiatic Society on the subject at its approaching meeting, we will not enlarge more particularly upon it at present, only advising all to avail themselves of the rare opportunity to hear one of the most fascinating of American lecturers on a theme of novel and great local interest.—Tokio Times.

Interesting Ethnological Specimens.—At a meeting of the Natural History Section of the Long Island Historical Society, Mr. Elias Lewis, of Brooklyn, exhibited several remarkable specimens of smoked Indian heads, brought by Mr. Ernest Morris from the hitherto little known region near the source of the Tapajos River, in Central South America. Some account of these heads was given by Mr. Lewis, and published in the Brooklyn Eagle. They are ten in number, and of great ethnological interest. The natives seemed to well understand the art of preserving them, but were exceedingly unwilling that Mr. Morris should get possession of the peculiar wood or root by the smoke of which they are preserved. A piece, however, was obtained and hidden by Mr. Morris in his luggage. The flesh and muscles of the smoked heads are shrunken somewhat, and quite hard, but the features are not distorted, and have a singularly lifelike appearance. All the lineaments of the face are clear and well defined. Most of the faces are tattooed. The hair is long, black, and very thick on the scalps, and the red paint with which the natives adorn themselves still remains in the hair of several of the specimens. The heads are ornamented with feathers, strings, and other appendages. In most cases the front teeth are wanting, having been knocked out previous to the smoking. Mr. Morris obtained the heads from the chief or principal man of one of the tribes in exchange for knives and other articles, and brought them away with great difficulty and some risk. In a letter from Mr. Morris it is stated that "the heads are