442, SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—H. 
beneficent, and men look forward to becoming crocodiles after death, whilst 
Sumatrans worship tigers, terming them ‘ancestors.’ In the Solomon Islands 
a dying man will tell his relatives the particular animal or tree into which he 
means to migrate (the fruit of which henceforth his kin may not eat, confirming 
my view that trees become sacred by the supposed indwelling of a human 
soul). In Florida a man may elect to become a shark. As both Papuans and 
Solomon Islanders are Totemists there are good grounds for believing that 
reverence for certain trees, animals, etc., depends on the primary belief in 
the immortality of the soul. It can be shown that the same holds good for the 
'Totemists of Australia, West Africa, and North and South America. 
8. Mr. J. Wuatrmovucu.—Rehtia, the Venetic Goddess of Healing. 
The functions of Rehtia, who was worshipped at Este (15 miles S.W. of 
Padua), were similar to those of Juno at Rome as Lucina, Februa, Fluonia, 
etc., i.e. she was a goddess of motherhood and childbirth. An important group 
of offerings made to Rehtia, the so-called ‘nails’ and ‘wedges,’ are to be 
explained as a specialised votive type of hairpin with pendant axe-shaped 
talismans of a form well known from Early Iron Age deposits. Compare 
Artemis Orthia at Sparta. 
9, Mr. Strantey Casson.—Recent Excavations in Macedonia. 
These excavations were undertaken in the course of a journey of investigation 
made under the auspices of a Committee of the Association. An examination 
was made of parts of the coast area of Thrace and Macedonia, from Enos 
on the river Maritsa in the east to Kavalla, and of the inland regions near Lake 
Doiran and Ardjani and between Ostrovo and Vodena. At Chauchitsa an 
excavation was made on an Iron Age site lying on the main Vardar valley route, 
some 50 miles north of Salonika. This site proved to be a cemetery, and some 
fifteen graves were uncovered. Large quantities of bronze ornaments and pottery 
were found, mainly of Northern types. The pottery, however, shows Hellenic 
affinities in its later stages, though at present no adequate parallels can be 
adduced. The bronze ornaments are entirely of Northern and ‘Geometric’ 
types. Iron was found, but was not common; it was used chiefly for small 
knives and pins. 
The main problems of this site still await solution. 
10. Miss Margaret Murray.—Recent Hacavations in Malta. 
11. Dr. T. Asupy.—Recent Archeological Discoveries in Italy. 
Our brief survey of recent discoveries in Italy may begin with the city of — 
Rome itself, where we may notice further investigations of the remains of the 
temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, and the excavation of an interesting subterranean 
tomb in the Viale Manzoni, with frescoes of the end of the second century A.p. 
At Ostia, the port of Rome, work is still being actively continued, and a con- 
siderable portion of the main street has already been laid bare. Much new light 
has been thrown on Roman domestic architecture, and in this respect the dis- 
coveries which are being made at Pompeii are also of the highest importance. 
Among the other distoveries we may notice especially a portion of the ancient 
city wall of Arezzo, of the end of the fourth century B.c., built of brick. Some 
fine terracottas were also found; but the richest harvest comes from the temenos 
of Demeter Malophoros at Selinus, in Sicily, where a large number of votive — 
terracottas have been dug up. 
Attention may also be called to the important discoveries which are being — 
made by the French archeological authorities in the Roman cities of Tunisia, — 
notably at Dougga, Sbeitla, and Gigthis. 
Tuesday, September 13. 
12, Dr. W. H. R. Rivers, F.R.S.—Melanesian Land-Tenure. 
13. Mr. T. F. McIuwrarru.—Egyptian Influence on African Death- 
rites. 
In modern Africa preservation of the body has a sporadic distribution in 
the Congo and West Africa, where it is limited to chiefs. As its discovery in 
Africa seems improbable, a reasonable supposition is that the chiefs are 
