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should be so well preserved. In many of the pyramids bricks 

 were used, some being of most enduring quality. Alluding to 

 the remarks of the president and other members upon the origin 

 of the American race, he mentioned that there was little doubt 

 that at one time America was connected north and south with 

 other continents. Evidence was given in the submergence of 

 great areas in the South Pacific. On some of the islands — mere 

 specks of land— there are great palaces and temples whose walls 

 are washed by the sea, and they are so far under water now that 

 their avenues can be navigated by the canoes of the natives. These 

 indicate large populations, which have novv^ disappeared, spread 

 over areas which are now beneath the waters. Replying to Mr. 

 Bell, he pointed out that the stone remains were mainly found 

 in Central America and Peru, the earth mounds occurring more 

 or less throughout the northern continent. The remains of Peru 

 were more solid, but were not nearly so interesting, being chiefly 

 engineering works, works of defence, roads, &c. They resembled 

 the Greek work to this extent that they were carrying out the 

 constructive principles of the Pelasgu — the Greek aborigines— 

 2,000 or 3,000 years later in the world's history, at that time 

 being unacquainted with the use of the arch. He disagreed with 

 the idea of Greek sculpture being based upon previous efforts in 

 wood, [though this undoubtedly applied to their architecture, 

 instancing the Doric. Treating upon Mr. Lancaster's idea of 

 the cranial types, Mr. Waddington said there was a distinct 

 difference in the skulls of the mound builders and the Central 

 Americans and Peruvians, the former having the outline very 

 round, the latter being much flatter, with a depression towards 

 the forehead. He saw no analogy betwixt the architecture of 

 China and that of Central America. The great purpose of Lord 

 Kingsborough's elaborate book was to prove that the ancient 

 Americans were Jews, and that the Temple of Paleuque was 

 built on the model of Solomon's Temple. Eeferring to Mr. Kay's 

 remarks about taking the rings in the growth of trees as a proof 

 of antiquitj', he observed that this was an argument much used, 

 but Charnay disagreed with this kind of evidence, stating that a 

 tree twelve years old, planted during his first visit to Palenque, 

 had 120 of this kind of rings iipon it at his second visit. Re- 

 ferring to Mr. Folds's question he said that the question of two 

 distinct civilizations was a debateable subject, but it seemed 

 likely that the mound raisers and the stone builders had come 

 from different sources. Regarding Mr. Strange's remarks he 

 said that under some mounds rude stone structures were found 

 of the character of cromlechs ; by some they had been described 

 as stone altars. Two great causes had occurred to decimate 

 the inhabitants, there was evidence of both — war and famine ; 

 amongst the former might be mentioned the wars of extermina- 

 tion. 



