Reports & Proceedings — Geological Society of London. 139 



to illustrate geological features. As these very largely consist of 

 coast-sections, the opportunity was taken to show, and explain, 

 other pictures that were closely associated with them. Such were 

 the ruins of the village called Orongo, consisting of peculiar canoe- 

 shaped houses built of imbricated slabs of shale, with the roof 

 convex, both longitudinally and transverselj', on its exterior aspect, 

 and covered with earth. They are romantically situated on the rim 

 of the volcano of Rano Kao, with an almost sheer drop of 900 feet 

 into the sea, or of 600 feet into the crater-lake. At Orongo, too, are 

 found certain large rocks, carved with the symbol of a bird-headed 

 man, holding in its hand an egg. A cult, based on annually 

 obtaining the first-laid egg of a certain migratory sea-bird, was thus 

 gradually brought to light, and appears to be a unique form. A brief 

 outline only could be given of some of the knowledge obtained 

 concerning the peculiar routine associated with seeking, and taking, 

 the sacred egg, and of the part which it occupied in the former 

 religious life of the island- 

 Proceeding along the coast, typical examples of the great terraces, 

 and their giant stone figures, were shown, and their leading charac- 

 teristics discussed. A submarine freshwater spring, near the great 

 image-terrace of Tongariki, and opposite certain typical lava-formed 

 caves, gave occasion to the lecturer to explain how had arisen the 

 longstanding and worldwide spread report that man and beast on 

 Easter Island habitually drink sea-water in the place of fresh. 



The old volcano of Rano Raraku, the centre of the former religious 

 life of the island, was then described. A series of panoramic pictures, 

 preceded by an accurate survey made by Lieut. R. D. Ritchie, R.N., 

 the cartographer of the expedition, showed a crater-lake surrounded 

 by a rim of tuff which rises to a height of 540 feet above the 

 surrounding plain. The plain is undulating in surface, formed super- 

 ficially of hard, dense, but nevertheless vesicular lava, and it rests 

 on compact non-columnar basalt. One section of this crater wall, 

 some 600 yards long, on both its interior and exterior aspects, was 

 seen to be quarried right up to the highest point. On the mountain 

 face, both inside and out, large numbers of statues, in every state 

 of completion, were to be seen. The largest of these measured 68 feet 

 in length. Some of those excavated by the expedition exhibited 

 fine details, such as the finger-nails, in perfect condition. 



In conclusion, Easter Island might be described as a plateau of 

 basalt raised from 50 to 100 feet above the sea. Superimposed on 

 this were numerous cones ranging up to nearly 2,000 feet. The 

 plateau was covered but sparsely with soil, and could only be crossed 

 with difficulty in any direct line. The cones, on the other hand, 

 were generally smooth of surface, with a good depth of soil. 

 Nevertheless the island is practically without trees, bushes, or shrubs. 



A short discussion followed, to which the Lecturer replied; and the cordial 

 thanks of the meeting were accorded to Mr. Routledge for his lecture. 



A large series of lantern-slides and specimens of the rock of which the stone 

 imagesof Easter Island were made wereexhibited by Mr. Scoresby Routledge, M.A. 



Mr. J. B. Scrivenor, M.A., F.G.S., Government Geologist to the Federated 

 Malay States, exhibited a manuscript geological map of the Malay States. This 



