316 REPORT— 1888. 



Note. — The late Mr. Rooke Pennington, from whose work the above 

 data are derived, has shown that infanticide was probably not uncommon 

 during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, no fewer than twenty-three cases 

 of children's bones buried with adults having been found in the Barrows, 

 the ages of the children being between four years and ten years. The 

 adults were very frequently females. Of the twenty-three cases only 

 four occurred in Barrows containing bronze alone, and one in a Barrow 

 where the two classes of implements were mixed. 



The general practice amongst the Neolithic populations and those of 

 the Bronze Age seems to have been to bury the bodies in a contracted 

 position, the knees being drawn up towards the chin. Cremation was also 

 very generally prevalent during the whole period. 



Third Report of the Committee, consisting of Sir Joseph D. Hooker, 

 Sir John Lubbock, Sir George Nares, General J. T. Walker, 

 Sir Leopold McClintock, Admiral Sir George H. Richards, 

 Professor Flower, Professor Huxley, Dr. Sclater, Professor 

 MosELEY, Mr. John Murray, General Strachey, Sir William 

 Thomson, and Admiral Sir Erasmus Ommanney {Secretary), ap- 

 pointed for the purpose of drawing attention to the desirability 

 of prosecuting further research in the Antarctic Regions. 



Since the meeting held at Manchester last year the above Committee 

 have been in communication with the scientific bodies in Australia, New 

 Zealand, and Tasmania. These colonies have manifested a very great 

 desire for exploration of the Antarctic regions, which is strongly advo- 

 cated by their respective Governments, The result is that the Govern- 

 ment of Victoria voted the sum of 5,000?. towards an expedition, pro- 

 vided that the Imperial Government contributed a similar grant. 



The Colonial Office submitted the application to H.M. Treasury for 

 favourable consideration, who sent it to the Royal Society for their 

 report on the expediency of the undertaking. A very influential com- 

 mittee was accordingly appointed by that learned body to consider the 

 matter. The reply from the Royal Society together with, a letter from 

 the Colonial Office and the Treasury are annexed herewitb, which suf- 

 ficiently explains the motives for declining to make the grant. 



It may be inferred from the tone expressed in the official letters that 

 H.M. Government is favourably disposed towards the despatch of an 

 expedition efficiently equipped for the perils of Antarctic research. It is 

 therefore to be hoped that the leading scientific societies and men of 

 eminence in this country may combine in prepai-ing a case to submit to 

 H.M. Government that will justify an appeal to Parliament for an expedi- 

 tion being prepared on a scale equivalent to the one which met with such 

 valuable results under Sir James Ross. 



It should be stated that the subject has been brought under the notice 

 of the Admiralty, and your Committee have met with the support of the 

 Royal Geographical Society and other influential bodies, besides eliciting 

 favourable encouragement from men of great eminence in the promotion 

 of science. 



