4:32 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 



thus their prayers would be the sooner heard, and repeated Namu 

 Aiiiida Buddlia (Indian words meaning ' Hail to the Eternal Splendour 

 of Buddha'), or Namu Mio-ho-renge-kio ('Hail to the Salvation-bring- 

 ing revelations of the law' — a Chinese translation used by the Nichiren 

 s'ect of Buddhists), or Takamagahara ni kami todomari (the prayer of 

 the Shintoists ' Kami, thou who art enthroned in the highest space 

 of Heaven'). 



'■Religion brings no gloom into the sunshine of Japanese life; 

 before the Buddhas and the gods folk smile as they pray ; the temple 

 oourts are play-grounds for the children; and within the enclosure of 

 tlje great public shrines — which are places of festivity rather than of 

 solemnity — dancing-platforms are erected," and stalls are set out for 

 the sale of small goods, charms, and other trifles. As Professor 

 Hozumi remarks, " The worship of the Imperial ancestors and especi- 

 ally of the fii'st of them, Amaterasu-Omikami, or 'the Great Goddess 

 of Celestial Light,' may be styled the national Avorship." Neverthe- 

 less, in Japan there exists not only absolute religious freedom but the 

 fxillest tolerance of all religions. Perfect freedom of conscience is 

 guaranteed by the Constitution, and today the Eoman Catholic, 

 Greek, and Protestant Churches exist side by side ; while the Mormons, 

 are allowed to preach and the Salvation Aiiny to parade the streets. 



4.— WALLACE'S LINE. 



PROFESSOR S. B. J. SKERTCHLY. 



5.— ON THE SEGAMIEPI RIVEE. 

 By PROFESSOR S. B. J. SKERTCHLY . 



-ISLAND OF FORMOSA. 



By E. H. VOSTIEN. 



7.— GEOGRAPHICAL SIGNIFICAXCE OF THE FROZEN MAMMOTHS: 



OF SIBERIA. 

 By ARTHUR EXLEY. 



8.— OCEAN CONTOURS AND EARTH MOVEMENTS IN THE 



SOUTH WKST PACIFIC. 

 Lecture hi/ P. MARSHALL, M.A., D.Sc, F.G.S., Professor of Genlo(ry, Otacjo Vniversitu, 



New Zealand. 



It is well known that many disting-uished members of this Asso- 

 ciation have from time to time published articles in the transactions 

 and elsewhere in which the present distribution of animals and plants 

 in the Western Pacific has been discussed. In many instances authors- 

 have argued that the distribution of life forms within the area can 

 only be explained by assuming that in past geological ages continents 

 and ocean wastes have had an altogether different extent and arrange- 

 ment from those that they at present possess. 



