THE VILLAGE COMMUNITY. 61" 



13. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society for Dec, '85. 



14. Scottish Geographical Magazine, for Dec, '85. 



Report of the Council of the Scottish Geographical Society, Sessions 

 1884-85. 



15. Reports of the "Ballad," "Chaucer," and "Early English Text" 



Societies, 



16. Report and Proceedings of the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical 



Society for Sessions 1884-85. 



17. Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Hydro-Mechanics, delivered at 



the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, Sessions 1884-85. 



18. Archivio per I'Antropologia e la Etnologia, Quindicesimo Volume, Fasci- 



colo Secondo, Firenze. 



19. Cosmos di Guido Cora, Vol. VIII., Parts VIII., IX., 1884. 



20. Electricite : Revue Hebdomadaire for 28 Nov., '85. 



21. Naturhistorisches Museum zu Hamburg, Bericht, 1885. 

 BoUettino di Bibliographia e di Storia delle Scienze Matematiche e 



Fisiche, TomoXVIIL, Gennaio e Febbraio, 1885. Roma. 

 Compte Rendu des Stances de la Commission Centrale de la Societe de 

 Geographic, No. 18, Paris, '85. 



Bulletin du Musee Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique, Tomes I., II.. 



III., 1882, 1883, 1884-85. Bruxelles. 

 Mittheilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien, XV., Band 



IHeft. 1885. 



Catalogue Wisconsin State Historical Society, Vols. 1 — 6, 1873 — 1884. 

 Wisconsin Historical Collections, Vol. IX., 1880 — 82. 



Mr. George S. Hodgins was elected a member. 



Mr. Wm. Houston, M.A., read a paper on " The Village 

 Community in Modern Politics," of which the following is a 

 summary :— 



The term " Village Community " has now amongst vi^riters on 

 political science a well-understood meaning. The institution con- 

 noted by it is of very ancient origin, being traceable in its essential 

 features as far back as investigations have yet been carried with any- 

 thing like definite results. It is also very wide spread, being com- 

 mon to at least all the Aryan peoples. It would have been surpris- 

 ing if a social institution so ubiquitous and persistent had not left 

 numerous traces of its influence on the modern political institutions 

 of even highly civilized Aryan nations, and as a matter of fact it has 

 done so. To call attention to some of the modern " survivals " of 

 the Aryan village community is the purpose of this paper. The 

 proper method of investigation in a matter of this kind would be the 

 inductive one. Existing political institutions, especially such as are 

 of a local character, should be analysed, and the history of theii* 

 various essential features should be traced back until we arrive at 



