388 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— H. 



Mr. W. J. Varley. — The Bleasdale circle (12.20). 



The essential features of the Bleasdale Circle are : (a) An inner structure, 

 comprising a central shallow grave, surrounded by eleven oak posts let into 

 the ground, forming a ring 33 ft. in diameter. Around this post ring is 

 a penannular ditch floored with birch poles laid crosswise. The upcast 

 from this ditch formed a low mound 54 ft. in diameter through which the 

 post ring protruded. The opening in the ditch was flanked by two rows 

 of three posts, the innermost pair being much larger and deeper sunk than 

 the others, (b) An outer palisade set eccentrically to the inner structure 

 which it nearly touches on the east side near to the break in the ditch. This 

 palisade is made up of principals — deep set oak posts at 14- ft. intervals 

 between which are shallow set minor posts. 



The monument is dated by its grave goods, a biconical pygmy cup and 

 two cinerary urns. The latter belong to a late form of the overhanging 

 ring type characteristic of the Pennines and to be attributed to a late phase 

 of the Middle Bronze Age. After the circle had been built it was invaded 

 by peat moss which on analysis proved to belong to the sub-Atlantic phase. 



Taken as a whole Bleasdale is without known parallel. The inner circle 

 bears obvious affinities to the Dutch palisade grave, particularly to Lange- 

 dijk, but the eccentric palisade and the splayed approach or forecourt appear 

 to be derived from other sources. 



It is fairest in the present state of knowledge to regard Bleasdale as the 

 result of the fusion of ideas surviving in isolation. 



Afternoon. 



Prof. R. Ruggles Gates, F.R.S. — Blood groups (2.15). 



The blood groups are generally regarded as human characters which are 

 of mutational origin and non-selective. Their spread in different races must 

 therefore depend upon mutation frequency, migration and racial crossing, 

 unless they are linked to racial characters having selective value. The 

 A and B blood groups occur also in anthropoids, but it appears probable 

 that they have arisen independently as parallel mutations in man. This is 

 partly based on the fact that the chimpanzee and gorilla, which are regarded 

 as man's nearest relatives, have hitherto shown only the A and not the B 

 blood group. O appears to be the primitive condition, from which A and 

 afterwards B began to appear as mutations. That A is older is shown by 

 its high frequency in Australian aborigines, pre-Dravidians of India, Bush- 

 men, Lapps and Hawaiians. B began to appear later in East and South 

 Asia and in Africa. The fact that American Indians and Eskimos of pure 

 blood are nearly all O has been difficult to explain, but peoples of similar 

 physique, such as the Tso of Formosa and the Tungus, have a high per- 

 centage of O and may represent an ancestral type. The few Tibetans 

 tested are, on the other hand, very high in B. 



Mr. E. Davies. — An anthropological survey of the Isle of Man (2.55). 



Anthropometric data were recorded from each of 1,200 adult males of 

 Manx descent. Preponderance of fair colouring on the Northern plain and 

 in South, and of dark colouring in the east-central region, is most marked 

 among long-headed men. 



In the north stature is taller and build is more massive than elsewhere, 

 especially among fair men. The north also shows longer faces and narrower 

 noses than other parts. Thus the north is characterised by tall, fair, big- 

 boned, long-faced, narrow-nosed, and, on the whole rather long-headed 



