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Section H.— ANTHROPOLOGY. 

 President of the Section — R. Munko, M.A., M.D, 



THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14. 



The President delivered the following Address : — 



Tee science of Anthropology, in its widest sense, embraces all the materials 

 bearing on the origin and history of mankind. These materials are so compre- 

 hensive and diversified, both in their character and methods of .study, that they 

 become necessarily grouped into a number of subordinate departments. From a 

 bird's-eye point of view, however, one marked line of demarcation separates them 

 into two great divisions, according as they relate to the structure and functions 

 of man's body, or to the works he has produced — a classification well defined by 

 the words anthropology and nrchceology. The former, in its limited acceptation, 

 deals more particularly with the development of man — bis physical peculiarities, 

 racial distinctions, linguistic manifestations, mental endowments, and, in short, 

 every morphological or mental modification he has undergone amidst the ever- 

 changing phenomena of his environments. The latter, on the other hand, takes 

 cognisance of man merely as a handicraftsman. During his long journey in 

 past time he has left behind him, scattered on the highways and byways of 

 primeval life, numerous traces of his ways, his works, his culture, and his civilisa- 

 tion, all of which fall to be collected, sorted, and interpreted by the skilled 

 archoeologist. In their general aspects and relationship to each other most of the 

 leading subjects in both these branches of the science have already been ex- 

 pounded, in the presidential addresses of my predecessors, by men so distinguished 

 in their respective departments that they have left little to be said by anyone 

 who attempts to follow in their footsteps. There is, however, one phase in the 

 progressive career of man which has not hitherto been so fully illustrated as 

 the subject appears to me to merit. I refer to the direct and collateral advan- 

 tages which the erect position has conferred on him ; and to this I will now 

 briefly direct your attention, concentrating my observations successively on the 

 following propositions : — 



(1) The mechanical and physical advantages of the erect position. 



(2) The difierentiation of the limbs into hands and feet. 



(3) The relation between the more perfect condition of these organs and the 

 ■development of the brain. 



In the process of organic evolution it would almost appear as if nature acted 

 on teleological principles, because many of her products exhibit structures which 

 combine the most perfect adaptation of means to ends along with the greatest 

 economy of materials. This is well exemplified in some of the structural details 

 of the organs of locomotion in which many of the so-called mechanical powers may 

 be seen in actual use. The primary object of locomotion was to enable the organ- 

 ism to seek its food over a larger area than was attainable by a fixed position. 

 Tke acquisition of this power was manifestly so advantageous to animal life that 



