cl 



making such lance-heads beyond dispute. Madame Clemence Royer, at 

 the same meeting, remarked that there was nothing in the present state of 

 geological or zoological knowledge that would preclude the possibility 

 of the existence of such anthropoid human ancestry in the Miocene. This 

 lady had also attempted, in the same Bulletin, to map out the appearance 

 of the world in the Tertiary. This map closely resembled one which Judge 

 Holmes had himself constructed some years ago for the same purpose. But 

 in one respect Mad. Royer arrived at a quite different conclusion to his 

 own. She concludes that the wliite Aryan race had its origin in Europe, 

 while, as he had stated at a previous meeting of the Society, he thought 

 such a conclusion untenable. 



Prof. Gage exhibited a number of vases, implements, and other 

 antiquities, formerly belonging to the mound builders in Louisiana 

 and Mississippi. He had obtained these relics by an exploration 

 in those States, and j^romised to prepare a paper on the same for 

 the Transactions. 



Dr. Geo. Engelmann referred to an article on curious plants, 

 in one of the morning papers, and gave an account of the very 

 curious Welwitschia, and exhibited a colored plate of the same. 



Mr. B. V. B. Dixon exhibited a curious forked grov^^th, which, 

 as he had been assured on credible authority, had been taken from 

 the inside of the skull of a soldier on a battle-field, the process 

 branching into the brain. Several members gave opinions as to 

 the nature of the growth, and it was finally referred to Mr. Enno 

 Sander for analysis. 



Dr. Geo. Engelmann read the following communication, from 

 a private letter by Mr. Henry Gillman, relative to the perforating 

 of Indian skulls found in mounds : 



Do you know anything, personally, or in any writings, of the custom, 

 among the former inhabitants of this country, of perforating the skull 

 after death ? A short time ago, a large number of skulls were taken out 

 of a mound at Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, all with this peculiarity. 

 From its proximity to Isle Royale, this is most interesting. And now I have 

 lately taken from the ancient mound on the Rouge River, near Detroit, 

 two skulls with similar perforations ; thus greatly increasing the interest. 

 The hole is in the top of the head, sometimes at the exact juncture of the 

 sutures; it is from about the size of u bullet-hole to three quarters of an 

 inch or more in diameter, being much larger on the outside — sometimes 

 exceeding an inch in diameter, and evidently made with a rude (probably 

 stone) implement. I am unable to find anything on the subject in any 

 work accessible to me at present, and would be much obliged if you would 

 kindly communicate any information which you may be possessed of as to 

 this most peculiar custom. 



