PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. cix. 



plastered and to have fallen in through a conflagration. It is 

 proposed that extensive excavations should be made at Her- 

 culaneum and other places by the Italian Government, the 

 objects obtained to be kept in an Italian Museum. It 

 would be well if our Government would imitate the Italians 

 in taking some steps to prevent the more valuable objects 

 of antique art from leaving this country, which they are 

 doing at a great rate, as it is unlikely that they will ever 

 return, and the number is strictly limited. A find of a jar 

 containing 7,000 3rd brass Roman coins was recently made 

 at Wakefield, the date being about the time of Constantine. 

 A good deal of exploration has lately taken place in various 

 countries. In Turkestan have been found ancient Buddhist 

 paintings and MSS. In Central Nigeria numerous megalithic 

 monuments and stone weapons and implements give evidence 

 of the ancient dwellers in that region, whilst at a later but 

 still very early date a higher civilisation is shown by the metal 

 work and pottery. Some steps have been attained towards 

 deciphering ancient Nubian MSS. of the 8th Century A.D., 

 and it is hoped that certain other Coptic inscriptions in that 

 country may be also interpreted. Many peculiar customs and 

 beliefs amongst the Haida and Hopi Indians have been 

 described. In view of recent occurrences in this country, 

 it may be interesting to mention that in the latter tribe, the 

 woman rules absolutely in the house, which she also builds, 

 and can turn cut her husband when tired of him ! The men are 

 trained to be wonderful runners, sometimes running 40 miles to 

 work in their fields and back again the same day. A few skulls 

 have been found in Nebraska of a very primitive type, much 

 lower than those of any of the present inhabitants of North 

 America, and more nearly resembling the Australian. Evidence 

 has been adduced to show the very early domestication of the 

 horse during the Reindeer epoch, from incised figures of horses' 

 heads with halters or head- stalls, found in certain French caves. 

 Lastly, I may suggest in connection with our possible visit this 

 summer to some of the Dorset stone circles, that they should be 



