1886.] NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 1G9 



March 1, 1886. 

 Regular Business Meeting. 

 The President, Dr. J. S. Newberry, in the cluiir. 



One hundred and thirty persons present, in tlie east lecture 

 room of the Library Building, Columbia College. 



The following persons were elected Resident Members : 



Mrs. Mary Elsberg. 



Prof. Franklin W. Hooper. 



Dr. 0. L. Lindley. 



Mr. Morris H. Brown. 

 Mme. Alice D. Le Plongeon read a paper on 



YUCATAN, ITS ANCIENT TEMPLES AND PALACES. 



(Extract.) 



The peninsula of Yucatan was once the seat of a great and 

 powerful empire, whose dominion extended over the whole of 

 Central America, and whose people, a few thousand years ago, 

 were as highly civilized as were the Egyptians in their most palmy 

 days. Tiie ruined temi)les and palaces of the Mayas still loom 

 amid the towering forests that cover the greater part of the 

 land ; and from time to time strangers are attracted to those 

 shores by a desire to see those most ancient structures, whose 

 stone Avails could tell many a tale were they but gifted with 

 speech. But are they altogether dumb ? Ah, no ! for graved 

 npon their weather-beaten surfaces there are records and orna- 

 ments full of meaning that have for centuries awaited interpre- 

 tation. Yet each one that gazed said that those hieroglyphics 

 must forever continue a mystery. 



This can no longer be affirmed. A key to these strange signs 

 has been found, and it only remains for those who would learn 

 the ancient history of this continent to use it. 



The ancient city that is most frequently visited is Uxmal.' 

 It is but one day's journey from Merida, the capital, and not 

 much exposed to the hostile Indians. The various structures 

 are not far apart, and were probably at one time the centre of a 

 large city. The "House of the Governor"' is a magnificent 

 edifice, built on the'uppermost of three very extensive terraces 

 that must have taken almost as long to pile up as any one of the 

 great Egyptian pyramids — not that they are so high, but for the 

 extensive area which they cover. 



' Pronounced Ooshmal. 



