ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 79 



call them egg and apple, and make them the symbols of eternity. 

 In fact, not depending wholly for significance upon the order of 

 courses of a feast or the accident of alphabetical position, but 

 having intrinsic characteristics in reference to the origin and 

 fruition of life, the egg and apple translation would be more 

 acceptable to the general judgment, and it is recommended to 

 enthusiasts who insist on finding symbols where none exist. 



Mr. Bigelow called attention to Fig. 71 of the chronological 

 chart of the Sioux Indians used in illustrating the paper, and 

 noted its resemblance to the ornamentations on Indian blankets. 



Mr. Ward raised the question whether the letter, read by Col. 

 Mallery, on the symbolic interpretation of this chart, might not 

 have been intended as a burlesque. 



Col. Mallery stated that it bore every mark of sincerity and 

 genuineness. 



Prof. Mason spoke of the growing prevalence of this school of 

 symbolic interpretation, especially in Europe. 



Mr. Ward inquired whether the recent attempts to explain the 

 origin of the Arabic numerals as a modification of straight lines 

 rested on any authentic basis. 



Col. Mallery thought it did not. 



Forty-fifth Regular Meeting, November 1, 1881. 



Dr. Edward M. Gallaudet, President of the National Deaf-Mute 

 College, read a paper entitled How shall the Deaf be Educated? 1 

 The following is an abstract of the paper : 



A suitable classification is important to a proper consideration of 

 the question. 



The class should be spoken of as the deaf. The term deaf-mute 

 should be applied to such only as are totally deaf and completely 

 dumb. 



1 Published in full in the "International Review," Vol. XI (December, 

 1 88 1,) pp. 503-S16. 



