Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-09-02

AOuuA xxOOHA W U0 AV0 OOCOAAO6
bnt another observer differed second o.
20. This phenomenon was not observei
on the temperance Of the sun. A re
markable fact was a large, hame-like pro
tuberance, which was observed on th,
surface Of the sun just before the com
mencement Of Bailey's Beads. At the
moment of totality, the moon seemed to
jump forward, and disappeared 20 quickly
as to naturally somewhat excite the a.
tronomers. Prof. Hough said that tn.
iame-like protuberance was 80 magnif
cent in appearance as to completely turn
bis attention from the progress of the
eclipse. The hight Of the proturberance
was two minutes and forty five seconds
1t was seen on the surface of the sun fivs
minutes and fifty seconds after tho mo
ment of totality, and gradually disap
peared. The sun was seen eight minutes
before totality. and during totality quite
a large number of stars were visible.
Several other papers lwere read, relat.
ing to the eclipse, confirming the state
ments Of Prof. Hough
In section B a paper was read on the
placticity Of pebbles and rocks. by Prof
w. P. Blake.
The peculiar elongation and fastening
of pebbles in Plymouth and Wallingford,
VT, and Newport, R. l., by which it ia
shown that they once we're plastic, and
have been indented by those that were
harder, has created considerable discus
sion among geologists since the publica-
tion of the report on the geology of Yer
mont.
Prof Blake has discovered pebbles of q
similar form in the oonglomerate in Ari-
zona. By some the form has been sup
posed to be the result of tension of the
substance while in a plastic condition by
heat, while Prof. Rogers cotended that
their shape was entirely the result Of
warm action. The pebbles observed by
Prof. Blake present most conclusively the
evidence Of having been the subject of
pressure and tension. To prove his theo
ry he adduced several facts and details,
and proceeded to show that at some pc
riod these pebbles must have been shaped
by q gigantic mechanical force, which
had caused them to take o. their present
form. He thought the existence OF such
a force would have to be admitted by ge-
ologjsts, and that immense changes had
been wrought by some such force, unaid-
ed by chemical or temperamental agen.
cies
Prof. J. B. Perry read paper on
Stratigraphy of the Paleozoic Rocks OF
Vermont, very difficult subject of OBJ
servation. Prof. Agassiz stated that in
his opinion Prof. Perry's observation had
done much to establish the precise char
acter of these rocks.
Prof. o. G. Marsh followed with pa
per on some new Mosasauroid Reptiles
from the green sand of New jersey. 1t
is proved from the fossil remains of these
reptiles, though their form cannot be
fully determined, that they must have
been the most powerful animals Of the
seas, and probably in appearance resemb-
ling the form of the mythical sea ser
pent.
Sec G.. devotes its attention to the sub
ject of Ethnography. The number Of pa.
pers entered is not large, but they are Of
great interest; and the paper presented
by Mr. Porter G. Bliss proved to be Of
extraordinary value, containing, as it did,
q large amount Of information on a sub.
ject which has never hitherto been the
object of thorough investigation. and
concerning which the most erroneous
ideas have prevailed.
Mr. Bliss is the gentleman who came 80
near losing his life while in the hands Of
Lopez, in company with Mr.. Masterman.
The facts connected with his imprison.
ment and release are still fresh in the
public mind. Mr. Bliss was of course
compelled to surrender ell bis personal
effects, and was obliged to part with his
priceless collection of vocabularies and
specimens, and all the documentary data
which he had accumulated during eight
years of residence and exploration among
the tribes Of South America. In view ot
the possibility that these documents may
still be in existence, vote was passed BY
the section yesterday that the President
of the Association should be requested to
solicit the intervention of the State De
partment at Washington in order to regain
such an important contribution to sci
ence.
At the present time Mr.. Bliss is cor.
respondent of the New York Sun. in
which capacity he attends the sessions Of
the Association. The subject of Mr.
Bliss remarks was "The Languages oi
South America and the classification Of
the Indian Nations thereof" He stated
that the principal authority on the South
American Indians was work by French
author, written many years ago, and based
upon an entirely erroneous plan his cal
culations should have been arranged IN
accordance with their languages, and not
with their location. The principal Indian
region of the continent extends from the
Isthmus downward, in q belt of varying
width, to the eastern shore OF Patagonia
The entire territory of Patagonia, which
is part of the Argentine Republic, CON
tains some Indians as we'll as PataSunians
but their entire number cannot exeeed
five thousand, while the msin region q
the northward in Brazil, Paraguay, etc.,
must hold not less than one hundred
thousand. All the Indians mo believed
to have belonged to . single family. So
THE CORRECT CI.AssUIcATION. 5a1
The Indians have usually been Chased :, |.
in three divisions-the Indiana Of Brasil
those of the Plains, extending clear asroel