4i4 [Dec. IG, 



coast range. On the neigliboring hills innumerable shells are 

 adherent to the fractured limestone, and south to those west of 

 Rivas ; from there the limestone dips to south-east and is only 

 about sixty metres above the sea between San Juan and Virgin 

 bay, while part of the Rivas plateau was undisturbed." 



It will be observed that one of these footprints indicates the 

 use of sandals or moccasins by the pedestrians of that day. 

 None of this character have been reported from Managua, Un- 

 doubtedly a society which wears shoes cannot be assigned to the 

 earliest stages of human culture. Many of the natives of Cen- 

 tral America to this day never protect the feet in any manner. 



In conclusion, I should say, that there can be no doubt of 

 these being genuine human footprints. They are not of that 

 mythical origin which the fancy of savage nations delights to 

 imagine,* nor can there be the least doubt of their authenticity. 

 Their antiquit}^ remains uncertain. In regions at once tropical, 

 fertile and volcanic, we may expect sudden upheavals and sub- 

 sidences, and the ravages of the most violent outbursts are re- 

 paired by a luxuriant vegetation with surprising rapidity. My 

 own opinion is, that there is not sufficient evidence to remove 

 them beyond the present Post-pliocene or Quaternaiy period. 



Stated Meeting^ December 16^ 1SS7. 



Present, 27 members. 



President, Mr. Fraley, in the Chair. 



Correspondence was submitted as follows : Letters of envoy 

 were received from Societe R. des Sciences a Upsal ; Fonda- 

 tion de P. Teyler van der Hulst a, Harlem ; Societa Italiana 

 della Scienze, Torino; Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 

 London ; U. S. ISfaval Observatory, U. S, Geological Survey, 

 Washington, D. C. 



A letter from Lord Rayleigb, London, acknowledging re- 

 ceipt of bis diploma. 



A letter was read from Prof. March, Eastou, Pa., in refer- 



* See Dr. Richard Andree, ou " Fussspuren," in his Ethnogmphische Parallden und Ver- 

 gleiche, s.94 (Stuttgart, TSTS). 



