194 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



The minutes of the last meeting of the Section were read and approved. 

 The following programme was then offered : 



Robert H. Lowie, Women's Societies oe the Missouri Village 



Tribes. ' 



Summary of Paper. 



Dr. Lowie said in abstract: Like the men's military organizations, the 

 women's societies of the Hidatsa and Mandan were arranged in a series 

 of age-grades, membership in each of which was acquired by collective 

 purchase. The element of purchase was the determining factor, inas- 

 much as a woman retained her membership, regardless of age, as long 

 as it was not purchased of her by some other individual. In several of 

 the women's organizations, there was a clearly marked magico-religious 

 element, which seems to have been lacking in the men's age-grades. 

 Thus, the Goose society was associated with the planting of corn, and 

 the Buffalo women's society was believed to control the coming of a 

 buffalo herd. 



The Section then adjourned. F. Lyman Wells, 



Secretary. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



6 March, 1911. 



The Academy met at 8:17 p. m. at the American Museum of Natural 

 History, Vice-President Kunz presiding in the absence of President Boas. 



The minutes of the last business meeting were read and approved. 



The following candidates for active membership in the Academy, 

 recommended by Council, were duly elected : 



Edwin C. Jameson. 35 West 49th Street, 

 Frederick G. Agens, Newark, N. J. 



The Academy then adjourned. Edmund Otis Hovey, 



Recording Secretary. 



SECTION OF GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. 



6 March. 1911. 



The Section met at 8:22 p. m.. Vice-President George F. Kunz pre- 

 siding. Seventeen members and visitors were present. 



The minutes of the last meeting of the Section were read, corrected 

 and approved. 



