788 REPORT— 1894. 



former — as, for example, in the third frontal convolution, or the convolution of 

 Broca. The author insisted on the physiological signitication of the morphological 

 development of the brain. He believes that the approximate equality of the 

 Fuegian brain to the average European brain does not raise doubts as to the 

 physiological value of cerebral morphology, but rather on the accuracy of the 

 opinion usually held as to the intellectual inferiority of savage people. This 

 inferiority, as that of the ancient Gauls in comparison to the Romans, may result 

 much more from obvious defects in the external conditions which produce civilisa- 

 tion than from true physiological inferiority conjoined v^ith anatomical inferioritj'. 

 What makes the physiological value of the morphological development of the 

 brain an unknown quantity is that other anatomical, physiological, or external 

 conditions form with it very variable combinations in which the influence of each 

 factor may be masked or counterbalanced by that of others. 



2. On the Valuation of Proportio7ial Dimensiona in the Descrij^tioyi of the 

 Brain. By Professor L. Manouvrier. 



3. On the Classificatory System of Relationship. By Rev. Lorimer Fison. 



In this paper the author showed the arrangement of the classificatory sj'stem 

 of relationship, and the key to it, by an examination of the descendants of two 

 brothers and their two sisters to the third generation. 



The Fijian terms of relationship were taken as an example of the system. 

 These divide the sexes in any one generation into groups of non-marriageable 

 persons and other groups of marriageable persons. 



The same relatives and their descendants were traced in an Australian tribe, 

 and it was shown that precisely the same groups appear as the result of the 

 division of a community into two exogamous intermarrying divisions, such as are 

 found in Australia. 



The inference deduced by the author was that wherever the classificatory 

 terms appear those divisions of the community exist, or have existed in the past. 



4. On some of the Natives of British Neio Guinea. 

 By H. Bellyse Baildon, M.A., F.R.S.E. 



The materials for this paper were obtained during a visit to British New Guinea 

 in 1891, the incidents of which had been detailed by the author's sister in the 

 Geographical Section. The author acknowledged his indebtedness to Mr. and 

 Mrs. Chalmers for corrections and additional information. 



The observations extended over the group of villages at Port Moresby, those 

 in the Elema district about Motu-motu ; the dangerous inhabitants of Movi-avi ; 

 and, again, further east, the people of Kerepuna and Hula. 



The natives of Port Moresby consist of two very distinct tribes — the Motuans 

 and the Koitapuans — located in three villages, the principal of which, Hanuabada 

 (the Big Village), is built on the foreshore of the bay. Of the other two, one is 

 on the mainland and the other on the beautiful island of Elevala. The juxta- 

 position of these two tribes is an instance of that curious intertribal commensalism 

 or economic co-operation often found in New Guinea. 



The Motuans (who must not be confused with the inhabitants of Motu-motu, 

 a very different people) live chiefly by fishing and the manufacture of pottery, 

 while the Koitapuans live mainly by hunting. Much traffic goes on between 

 these two tribes, who supplement each other's requirements, so that commerce 

 here, as in civilised communities, makes chiefly for peace. The Motu pottery is 

 also made for purposes of trading with the Motu-motuans and other western tribes, 

 with whom the Motuans exchange it for sago. 



The people of the Elema country and the fertile land of sago about Motu-motu 

 differ in many respects from the Motuans. They seem to be a wilder, more high- 



