204 RECORDS. 



In the course of his paper Dr. Kunz exhibited white compact 

 garnet from Fresno County, California, associated with the newly- 

 described compact vesuvianite, or " californite." In connection 

 with these two compact minerals attention was called to the 

 third compact mineral " pectolite," which was described some 

 years ago by \V. P. Blake. Pyroelectric zinc blende associated 

 with wollastonite from Mariposa County, California, also was 

 exhibited. 



Edmund Otis Hovey, 



Secretary. 



SECTION OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY. 



November 23, 1903. 



The section met on November 23, in conjunction with the 

 American Ethnological Society. 



The following paper was presented and read : 



Clark Wissler, Recent Researches on the Decorative 

 Art of the Plains Indians. 



Dr. Wissler said it was demonstrated by specimens and ex- 

 planations that among the Indians of the plains may be found a 

 type of graphic art that is purely decorative in contrast to a type 

 that is absolutely symbolic. In addition, a transition type occurs 

 in which both the symbolic and the asthetic motives function. 

 The whole of this art is the work of women. In the purely 

 decorative art complex geometric designs are built up from 

 simple geometrical elements. These elementary designs have 

 technical names and are worked into compositions accord- 

 ing to recognized principles and standards. In the sym- 

 bolic art the designs are conventional representations of objects 

 with sacred or mystic associations and are realistic in motive. 

 While a number of conventional designs are used which are 

 known once to have possessed symbolic value and to have 

 originated in realistic motives, the majority of design elements 

 do not appear to have originated in this way. Their occasional 

 use in a symbolic sense is an afterthought and a makeshift. 



