356 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS .—H. 
results. In Scotland the mixed character of the population has been demon- 
strated by these quantitative methods now in common use in anthro- 
pometry. It is well known that Galton founded the science of national 
eugenics. He demonstrated that mental and moral as well as physical 
characters were inherited and therefore that humanity was capable of 
improvement through conscious selection. In striking contrast to some 
attempts at race improvement to-day, he held that no hasty or ill-considered 
method can be thrust on any community. Race improvement in Britain 
has been helped by legislation and by the effect of public opinion, particu- 
larly with regard to social conditions and material well-being. The im- 
provement has arisen through recognition of the fact that environment 
is a factor in life. But Galton and Pearson have shown that nature is a more 
powerful factor than nurture. Institutes and societies for race improve- 
ment have been established in America and on the Continent, including 
Russia. Galton defined eugenics as ‘ the science of those social agencies 
which influence mentally and physically the racial qualities of future 
generations.’ Until we know more fully than we know to-day what those 
influencing agencies are, we can do little to eliminate the cave dweller pro- 
pensities in man which are so rampant in Europe to-day. Galton looked 
forward to the day when conscious selection for race betterment would be 
sanctioned by the State, supported by public opinion. One has only to 
study the Annals of Eugenics and other publications of the Galton Laboratory, 
and the great work of Pearson and of Fisher, his successor, to see that 
progress has been made in our knowledge of man’s past and without 
conscious selection, his likely future. Material has been provided which 
should be studied by those at the helm of the State. 
Dr. J. GRaHAM CALLANDER.—Prehistoric archeology in the North-east of 
Scotland (11.0). 
The north-eastern part of Scotland occupied by the counties of Aberdeen, 
Banff and Kincardine is particularly rich in monuments and other remains 
of prehistoric man. In spite of this, and although many extensive collec- 
tions of relics have been gathered from the area, its antiquities, with the 
exception of two or three classes, have never been systematically described, 
and no sustained excavations of the monuments have been carried out and 
published as have been done in some parts of England. Proof of the occupa- 
tion of the district by Neolithic man is to be found in the relics left and in 
a few long cairns erected by him. Many Bronze Age monuments survive ; 
numerous graves containing pottery have been brought to light, and a fair 
representation of weapons, tools and ornaments of the period have been 
recorded. ‘The district is famous for its stone circles, that with the recum- 
bent stone being confined to this part; more than two hundred have been 
found in Aberdeenshire alone. ‘There seems to have been at least one early 
crannog in Loch Kinord. Earth-houses can be seen in the valleys of the 
Don and Dee, being very numerous in the neighbourhood of Kildrummy. 
Good examples of hill forts exist on the Barmekin of Echt, the Hill of Barra 
and the Mither Tap of Bennachie. Of vitrified forts, two of the finest are 
located on the Hill of Dunnydeer and the Tap o’ Noth. 
Miss Artsa Nico: Smitu.—Material culture as an introduction to social 
culture (11.30). 
Material culture is a valuable approach to the individual and social life 
of a people, and therefore is of great practical value to the fieldworker. 
