XXIV 



that this was the principal route by which the brown or reddish-brown 

 race of Southern Asia, speaking non-Aryan languages, first reached the 

 continent of America, and thus became the progenitors of all the Ameri- 

 can Indian populations. The existence of human remains in the Pliocene 

 deposits of California is well established by geological evidences. But it 

 is not possible to suppose that any form of the Aryan speech had then 

 come into existence. Nor is it at all probable that any recognizable form 

 of Aryan speech, and much less the Sanscrit, could have existed in the 

 early stages of the Quaternary epoch. 



It would seem to follow from these considerations, that any traces of 

 identity between Sanscrit and Nahuatl words that may really exist must 

 be due to infiltrations, at a comparatively recent date, through casual 

 wanderers by sea or land, who may have become commingled with the 

 aboriginal native tribes ; but that for the origin of the American popula- 

 tions, in respect of both race and language, we must go back to a much 

 older epoch. 



Mr. W. T. Harris spoke at some length on the subject treated 

 by Judge Holmes, remarking that no evidence of such a migra- 

 tion is found in any of the writings of the Asiatic nations. 



December 15, 1878. 



Dr. Forbes in the chair. Thirteen members present. 



The Con-esponding Secretary read a letter from J. S. Weston, 

 of Rockwood, Ills., describing carved human footprints i-n a sand- 

 stone boulder near that place. The tracks are twelve inches in 

 length, the great toe standing out at a considerable angle from the 

 others. Judge Holmes remarked that, although such cases were 

 not unusual, it would be of interest to secure full descriptions of 

 the tracks. 



Dr. Hugo Auler was elected to associate membership. 



yanuary 6, 1879. 



Hon. A. Todd in the chair. Nine members present. 

 The Corresponding Secretary read the following letter from 

 Professor Gustavus Seyflarth : 



