TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 147 



G. H. Lewes, Broussais, De Blainville, and A. Bain, nearly all of whom agreed 

 that the fundamental position of phrenology was demonstrated. The author 

 quoted freely from A. Comte's ' Philosophie Positive,' tome iii. " Biologie " — a 

 philosophical exposition and criticism of Gall's doctrine, and the means whereby it 

 might become, physiologically and .anatomically, scientific. He said, " Phrenolo- 

 gical analysis has, then, to be reconstituted, first in the anatomical, and then in 

 the physiological order ; and finally the two must be harmonized ; and not till 

 then can phrenological physiology be established upon its true scientific basis." 

 " If our existing phrenology isolates the cerebral functions too much, it is yet more 

 open to reproach for separating the brain from the whole of the nervous system." 

 " Phrenology has too much neglected the great influence to which the chief intel- 

 lectual and moral functions are subject from other physiological phenomena, as 

 Oabanis pointed out so emphatically while preparing the way for the philosophical 

 revolution which we owe to Gall." 



The paper concluded by showing that anthropology could benefit nothing from 

 old systems unscientifically based, and that anthropologists could only prosecute 

 their studies successfidly by discarding as idle all questions of origins of species, 

 whether human or animal, and of first and final causes, these questions being be- 

 j'ond settlement by such knowledge and such powers as we have. 



On an Age of Colossi. 

 By John S. Psen^, F.S.A., F.G.S., F.E.G.S., F.RJ.B.A. 



This paper commenced with a slight sketch of the theory of the ages of stone, 

 bronze, and iron, as generally recognized by anthropologists, for the purpose of 

 bringing forward a feature which, in the author's opinion, would at a future period 

 considerably modify present ideas on this subject — the geographical feature, the 

 eftsct of which, he thought, could be hardly understood till we were able to cor- 

 relate more perfectly the antiquities of distant countries. He argued that, as- 

 suming a wave of emigration from a common centre to bear forward any distinct 

 characteristic, whether of these recognized features or of colossi, or otherwise, such 

 wave might, in prehistoric times, while portions of it terminated abruptly near its 

 source, upon desirable spots being attamed, travel indefinitely by other sections 

 over an enormous area, even giving rise to secondary or subwaves of exodus. 

 This, in result, might produce the strange features, discovered by subsequent 

 travellers, of a civilized or historic age setting in, either from a succeeding wave 

 or some other cause, which would reach to the settlements from which the sub- 

 exodus proceeded, but not follow the offshoots ; hence, in an age highly historic 

 and civilized in a given geographical area, there might be found people with the 

 same features, traditions, myths, and roots of language in a barbarous or prehistoric 

 age or condition outside that geographical area ; and in consequence any par- 

 ticular age so identified might be, or seem to be, indefinitely long from the retainers 

 of its characteristics wandering beyond the reach of communication. That such 

 waves had passed over distant lands, he argued by illustration and analogy, throuo-h 

 various architectural features, special and peculiar, foimd in remote and distant 

 countries. After drawing attention to the inhabitants of what he termed the 

 three great centres of colossi, and which he designated as Egj-ptian, Malayan, and 

 pre-Mayan, or Mexican, he illustrated by diagrams and drawings the favourite 

 emblems of those creators of colossi, fi-om which it appeared that on a broad basis 

 there was both an architectural and emblematic similarity in their works the 

 pyramid, the monolith, the obelisk, and the elevated platform being prominent 

 features in each ; the worship of the sun apparently common, and colossal em- 

 blems of the human figure, reptilia, .and birds abounding. Easter Island, as repre- 

 senting Polynesia, was included, and the physical featm'es and climatic conditions 

 were found .approxim.ating in these different centres. He expressed a belief that 

 a careful study of the poetic language of the Singhalese would aid and stimulate 

 researches in the forest-covered cities of Ceylon, and those of the ancient Maya (if 

 possible) and of the Quiche peoples would unravel the mystery of the now impene- 

 trable cities of Mexico and Central America. While these cities, with their colossi 



