242 



ETHNOLOGY. 



So far, all that 1 bad learned directly or indirectly iu regard to this 

 siagular custom confined it witbiu the limits of the State of Michigan; 

 But lately I have received the second rejoinder, called forth by my note 

 in the I^^aturalist. This is a letter from the Eev. Stephen Bowers, dated 

 Santa Barbara, Cal , September G, 1875. The writer proceeds to say 



Fig. 10. 



''1-i> 



Perforatiou, Devil Ki\cr skull, fall size. F, froutal. 



that he had rea4 luy article on perforated skulls with interest ; that 

 during the past four months he had exhumed from 500 to 1,000 skele- 

 tons, and found but one such as I describe. It was that of an old man, 

 and the hole, about one-third of an inch in diameter, was iu the top of 

 the skull. It was the only skeleton found in that place. In fact, from 

 the description, it was clearly an additional example of the custom, and 

 one of much importance, as so widely extending the area iu which the 

 practice was observed, if we may consider a single instance sufficient 

 l^roof of this. The skull was, however, unfortunately broken by acci- 

 dent, and destroyed. 



Since sending my notice to the Naturalist in April last, (printed 

 August, 1875,) my attention has been called to a note in Harper's 

 Magazine for May, 1875, and issued since my remarks were written, 

 which states that "a communication made by Dr. Prunieres (de Marve- 

 jols) before the meeting of the French Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, at Lille, treated of the curious artificial perforations common 

 among the Neolithic skulls of the Lozere. These perforations vary in 



