Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-06

the archaeo1ogist. It is necessary to say that both should throw an equal light on the matter under discussion. Pro- lessor Prestwich explains how the ground where these flint implements were found existed at a period much more remote than the gravel beds. This is again a purely geological question, and to be decided by geologists. Not discussing for an instant the character of the flint implements, believing that these Kent scrapers, or chips, unques- tionably show the handiwork of man, nevertheless the doubt may be enter tained as to their having any distine- tive forms which would show them to belong to period anterior to the paleo- lithic time. The discussion today in the United States, raised by Maj. J. w. Pow ell, is as to whether the distinction be- tween the rough stone and the smooth stone is a fast one. Can we, from the appearance of two stone implements, or their fashionings, decide that one is lo,- GOO or 0,0O0 years older than the other? Methods" Major Powell says, are adapted to materials"
 A careful study has been made of sil- yer bowl found some few years ago in Denmark in the Gunderstrup bog. Sup possibly the bowl was not buried, but was dropped on the surface of the ground, and the bog grew up and in time covered
 
 which interests archaeologists. Is u Danish or Gallic? Dr. Muller considers it as made by Danish workmen who had learned their art in Gaul. French archae- ologists claim It to be of Gallo-Roman or igin Embossed in the surface are ele- phants lions. hyenas, leopards, animals all foreign to Denmark. One figure holds a severed head. There is a hunter kill ing an auroch. The bowl has an inner decoration.
 Are we to consider that the Pharaohs were inclined to be boosters, or that their declarations of piety, relative to their contributions to temples, were untrue? Every Pharaoh seems to have been very careful in recording his pious gifts. There has been preserved a famous papy- rus known as the great Harris papy- rus" which, providing the scribes did not lie, seems to show that the kings of Egypt were lavish in their gifts. Erman, at least, thinks this statement of Rame- Ses III worthy of credence. After giving the names of the various temples which were the recipients of the kings bountiess there is a general summing up of his contributions. Rameses had reigned thir- ty-three years He had given to the va rious temples during this time 113,433 slaves and 2756 golden images. Toward the sacrificial funds his contributions had been 321,70 jars of incenSe honey, oil; 22S,3S0 jars of wine and drink, 353719
 
 bouquets of flowers, and 5,279, ,652 sacks of corn. It Is computed that in precious metals alone this king gave to the tenn pies what would be worth $1,000,000 to- day To obtain this vast accumulation of gifts the king undoubtedly taxed his subjects. He did not create the wealth himself We have no exact method of counting the Egyptian population, but it is believed there were then some 6,000,0 900 of souls. How heavily, then, the main- tenance of these temples must have rest ed on the shoulders of the Egyptians.
 At the last meeting of the American Forklore society Captain Burke dis cussed the general question of folk food in the Rio Grande valley and of north ern Mexico. This excellent authority states that the Franciscan monks brought to Mexico Peaches, apples, pears, prunes, cherries, quinces, figs, dates pomgranates, walnuts, olives, aL monds, sugar cane, coffee, oranges, and, perhaps, lemods and bananas" The native products were the cocoa, the to- mato and the potato. There is an old book written by an English Dominican monk who spent fourteen years in Mexi- co and Guatemala entitled, "A Survey of the West Indies." He inveighs against a confection of candied pineapple the holy fathers were overfond of. The Car melite nuns, who had convent schools, taught the natives European methods of dressing food and it is probable that certain kind of Mexican sweets--Car- mencillo de leche-owes it's origin to those good sisters; and 1t may be, too, that "caramer' is derived from the same source.
 Prof. Otis T. Mason, in the American