ANTHROPOLOGY. 



511 



1888, Mr. Thomas Tyler delivered a course of lectures upou this people 

 in the British Museum, 



A few years ago all we kuew of the Hittites was contaioed iu a few 

 vague references ill the First and Second Book of Kiugs. In the true 

 sense of the word empire, it is doubtful whether a Hittite empire ever 

 existed. Says Mr. Tyler : " Most likely there were iu Asia Minor many 

 states or even single cities which were usually to a great extent inde- 

 pendent, and the peoples of Avhich were not, perhaps, altogether homo- 

 geneous iu race, but which, under pressure of the necessity of war, 

 formed a federation. That the Hittites spoken of in the Old Testament 

 are to be identified with the Khita of the Egyptian monuments and 

 with the peoples of the land of Khatti in the Assyrian records, is com- 

 ing out more and more clearly." 



The primitive home of the Aryans seems now to be less definitely 

 fixed than formerly. The studies of Pott, Lassen, and Max Miiller 

 made the highlands of Asia to be the cradle of the Aryans. Dr. La- 

 tham, even at that time, urged that the Asiatic hypothesis was mere 

 assumption based on no shadow of proof. Kecently the European 

 theory has been entertained by Gugei, Cuuo, Peuka, and Schrader. 



The commingling of blood, language, social organization, beliefs, and 

 activities in the Malayan area is elucidated by Dr. Fridrich's paper in 

 the miscellany relating to Indo China. He noticed the continued exist- 

 ence of Hindooism in Java and other parts of Malaysia, and says that it 

 is essential to a proper understanding of the condition of the Malayan 

 tribes that the intluence which Hindoo civilization has exerted on them 

 should be investigated. 



At a meeting of the Asiatic Society of Japan, reported in the Japan 

 Weekly Mail of November 10, Mr. Batchelor read a paper on Kamui 

 or Gods of the Aiuos. The author is not convinced that the Ainos are 

 dying out. 



D.— OCEAXICA. 



Australia : Domiuic Daly, J. Fraser, E. M. 



CaiT, S. Gason. 

 Borueo: Dominic Dalj'. 

 Celebes: cFEstrey Meyners. 

 Malays: F. Grahowslvi. 

 Maldives: M. Habelauilt. 

 Maori : J. Erringtou de la Croix. 

 New Hritain: B. Dauks,H. H. Roniilly. 

 New Caledouia: E. Verrierj M. Glau- 



niout. 



New Guinea: Prince Roland Bonaparte, a 

 series of reports; Chalmers, G. L. Bink. 



New Hebrides: A Hagen and A. Pigneau. 



Philippines: Ollivier Beauregard. 



Polynesians : E. Tregear. 



Samoa : Win. B. Churchward. 



iSandwich Islands: Ed. Arning. 



Solomon Ishinds : \l. B. Gni)py, F. Elton, 

 C. M. Woodford. 



Surinam : R. Virchow, H. Ten Kate. 



E.— North Ameiuca. 



The very best — andouly reliable— study of the tribes of North America 

 is that of the Bureau of Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution, an 

 account of which has been given to the American association by Maj. 



