ELEVENTH MEETING. . 17 



mental science, natural history, mathematics, chemistry, phy- 

 siology, and pathology, as well as geology, history, geography, 

 and statistics. The value of the prize amounts to 12,000 

 Italian lire, or about $2,400. The prize will in no case be 

 given to any of the national members of the Academy of 

 Turin, resident or non-resident. 



A letter was read from Mr. J. Hickson, general manager of 

 the Grand Trunk Railway, in reference to the adoption of the 

 24-hour system. Mr. Hickson stated that he would rather 

 not attempt to introduce the proposed system on the Grand 

 Trunk Railway until the public have become more familiar 

 with it. 



Mr. David Boyle, Ph.B., curator of the museum, presented 

 his report for the past year, enumerating a very valuable col- 

 lection of archaeological specimens recently added to the 

 museum. 



Rev. John McLean, M.A., Ph.D , read a paper on " The 

 Blackfoot Confederacy." 



He dealt with the history of the Confederacy, the contemporaneous 

 Indian tribes, the mode of hunting the buffalo, and the extinction of 

 the vast herds of buffalo that formerly roamed OA'er the illimitable 

 prairies of the Far West. A disquisition was given on the myth- 

 ology and traditions of these peoi)le. Wonderful was their native 

 religious system, with its elaborate ceremonial, prayers, sacrifices, and 

 animistic beliefs. The physical characteristics of the tribes present 

 in general a people of greater stature than the Wood Crees and 

 Assiniboines, witli arms and legs not fully developed. They have 

 marriage customs similar to the Algonkin family, and engage in 

 many kinds of amusements, nearly all of which ai'e used for gam- 

 bling purposes. The tribal laws are still in existence. They have 

 also a political organization, with secret societies, and a system of 

 telegraphy. There is a medical priesthood with initiation ceremonies, 

 and some of the medicine men are proficient in surgery, besides 

 having a good knowledge of herbs. The language is Algonkin but 

 has an admixture of words from some other Indian language. A 

 2 



