SHORT PAPERS 



MR. STANSBURY HAGAR presented a paper before this Section on " The Astro- 

 nomical Ritual of Peru," in which was set forth the festivals of Peru as found 

 by the Spaniards at the time of their invasion, and the authoritative explana- 

 tions which have since been made in reference to their origin. Particular atten- 

 tion was given by the speaker to the astronomical myths. The astronomical 

 myths and ritual naturally followed the calendar changes, and the festivals, at first 

 connected with the asterism crossing the meridian at midnight, were transferred 

 to the opposite asterism through which the sun was passing at the time of the 

 celebration, but one trace of the purely stellar system remained in the beginning 

 of the rites after sundown. 



PROFESSOR A. M. TOZZER, of Peabody Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 

 presented a short paper on " A Few Survivals of Ancient Maya Rites in Yucatan 

 and Chiapas." 



