XLIV BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



measure of mind, foiiditioiied b\' circuiiistMiices of surroimd- 

 ings or enviromneut to which man adjust.^ himself not so much 

 by biotic survival as by intelligent effort; and, concordantly, 

 the sources of tlie activities are to be traced through the 

 habitual mental operations of primitive men. It was with this 

 view that Mr McGee undertook to trace tlie origin of countina- 

 devices, and through tliem the beginnings of immerical con- 

 cepts. The data derived from various primitive peoples seem 

 to indicate clearly that numerical concepts originally crystal- 

 lize with exceeding slowness, at first about practical customs 

 and later about symbols of ceremonial or ritualistic character; 

 and that throughout the subsequent development symbol and 

 function (i. e., notation and numeration) grow up together. It 

 also seems clear from the data that the earliest symbols, with 

 the concomitant methods of counting, antedated the custom of 

 counting on the lingers; but that after the finger-count was 

 adopted it aided greatly in the develojjinent of numeral systems 

 on quinary, decimal, and \'igesimal bases. It is of no small 

 significance that various vestiges of primitive counting and 

 uundjer systems still survive among modern peoples, even in 

 the most advanced culture. 



Mr McGee's writing was designed to complement that of 

 Dr Thdiiias on the numeral systems of Mexico and Central 

 America; and the two ])a])ers combine to illumine in a useful 

 way certain puzzling problems by which the ethnologic stu- 

 dent is constantly confronted. 



Numeral Systems of Mexico and Central America 



The researches of the last two decades have shown clearly 

 that primitive arts arise in symbolism, develop through con- 

 ventionism, and mature in a combined realism and idealism 

 far bevond the grasp of primitive })eo})les. The researches of 

 the last lustrum have shown similarly that primitive industries 

 are sha])ed by symbolism and developed through convention- 

 ism. Several of the accompan^'ing papers indicate likewise 

 tliat piimitive society is shaped and established largely by 

 svmbolic motives, and is developed through conventional sys- 

 tems of remarkable strength and persistence; and Dr Thomas's 



