proceedings: anthropological society 51 



practical identity of these types. Referring to the development of 

 culture in America it was shown that no culture above the hunter- 

 fisher stage ever passed through the Bering gateway. All culture of 

 higher grade is. therefore, American. As the early immigrants reached 

 the more favorable localities of the continent, they engaged in agricul- 

 ture and became sedentary. This condition led to the development 

 of the simple arts, industries, and institutions belonging to this phase 

 of progress. It was asked, How then do we account for the vast works 

 in the way of temples, pyramids, and tombs, and the vast body of 

 products of the sculptor's art, of highly embellished pottery, textiles, 

 and metallurgy? It was shown that all were due to the dynamic 

 forces of religion manifested through the all-powerful shamanistic 

 classes, who sought above all things to honor the gods and to glorify 

 themselves. But, it was asked, Why are the once splendid cities now 

 in ruin? The reasons are readily found: The energies of the people 

 were broken down by the ever increasing load of super-essential activi- 

 ties. The system which permitted over-growth of these highest mani- 

 festations of culture had within itself the germs of disaster. 



Numerous slides illustrating various wonderful products of sculp- 

 tural and architectural genius developed under the absolute control 

 of the Mayan shamanistic priesthood were shown. 



The paper was discussed by Dr. E. Hewett, of Santa Fe, N. M., 

 Mr. S. G. Morley, of Cambridge, Mass., and Dr. H. J. Spixdex, of 

 Xew York. Dr. Hewett suggested the influence of environment on 

 the cultural development of a race, citing the discovery of metal by 

 the earl}- inhabitants of Europe and its use in making weapons. Air. 

 Morley spoke of the Maya hieroglyphs, and Dr. Spinden discussed 

 the culture which preceded that of the Maya in Central America, 

 traces of the agricultural period remaining in crude figurines, and that 

 of the religious period in effigies of serpents and of grotesque gods. 



The 504th meeting of the Society was held at the New National 

 Museum, December 19, 1916 at 4.30 p.m. Dr. Truman Michelsox, 

 of the Bureau of American Ethnology, presented a paper entitled Notes 

 on the Peoria Indians. 



Dr. Michelson said that the Peoria Indians have practically lost 

 their ethnology, in the strictest sense of the word, although their lan- 

 guage and folklore still remain. A study of these shows very clearly 

 that the Peoria Indians have had two associations, the older and more 

 intimate association being with the Ojibwa group of central Algonkins 

 and the more recent with the Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo. The terms of 

 relationship support this view, as do the historical facts. 



The speaker then showed by means of a blackboard chart the system 

 of consanguinity among the Peoria. In this way it was demonstrated 

 that two factors were involved, i.e., the gentile organization and blood 

 consanguinity. 



The paper was followed by a general and interesting discussion. 

 Prof. W. H. Holmes mentioned the old quarries in northeastern Okla- 



