JANUARY 25, 1901.] 
knowledge concerning the pictographs of 
the southwest. In the discussion which fol- 
lowed Dr. Fewkes pointed out the value of 
these symbols to those who are studying 
the routes of migrations in the Southwest. 
He also offered interpretations of several 
of the characters. Dr. Hrdlicka described 
pictographs of Northern Mexico that are 
suggestive of the Mayan hieroglyphs. Pro- 
fessor McGee reported the existence of 
‘curious pictographs which he had seen a 
few days before near the mouth of the 
Colorado River; on the top of a mesa 
covered with a thin layer of polished re- 
sidual gravel huge figures had been traced 
by scraping away the gravel. 
Dr. Ales Hrdlicka presented the closing 
paper of the morning session, entitled, ‘ Al- 
binos among the Hop a.d Zuiiis.’ A general 
outline of the nature of the phenomenon of 
albinism so far as it is known was given 
followed by a detailed account of the seven- 
teen cases of albinism in the two pueblo 
tribes mentioned. Six of these cases are 
Zuiis. About two-thirds of the whole num- 
ber are women. All are ‘ complete’ albinos. 
Careful measurements show no inferiority 
in physical structure, and their slightly in- 
ferior strength is accounted for on the ground 
of lesser activity due to shyness. The eyes 
of these Indian albinos are invariably blue 
and not pink. No Hopi explanation of al- 
binism was discovered. Dr. Fewkes stated 
that the Walpi Hopi had informed him that 
the people of the Middle Mesa, where the 
albinos are, make the ‘ White Paho,’ prayer 
stick, and if a man whose wife is pregnant 
make such a Paho in an incorrect manner 
the child will be an albino. This Paho is 
not made at the First Mesa ‘hence no al- 
binos there.’ 
On Thursday afternoon Section H met 
with the American Folk-lore Society in the 
Donovan Room of McCoy Hall. 
The session began with a paperby Dr. J. 
Walter Fewkes, entitled, ‘An Interpreta- 
SCIENCE. 
141 
tion of Pueblo Katcinas.’ This paper em- 
bodied the results of a prolonged investi- 
gation into the character and significance 
of the many minor deities of the Hopi. 
This unique cult is regarded asa form of 
ancestor worship. Dr. Fewkes also ex- 
hibited a number of colored drawings that 
he had selected from a collection of 280 
which the Hopi had made for him to illus- 
trate the Katcinas. The value of these 
pictures is of course greatly enhanced by 
the fact that they are not only authentic, 
but the product of native talent. 
Miss Alice C. Fletcher described ‘The 
Lazy Man in Omaha Indian Lore.’ The 
debate was graphically portrayed which 
the author once overheard in an Omaha 
camp, concerning the relative strenuousness 
of the life of the warrior of pre-Columbian 
days and that of the modern Indian. Their 
conclusion was that both must labor faith- 
fully and continuously. From infancy the 
Omaha child is impressed with the direful 
consequences of laziness. 
An interesting and valuable addition to 
the program was a paper upon ‘ The Treat- 
ment of an Ailing God,’ by Dr. Washing- 
ton Matthews. In the absence of the 
author, this paper was read by Dr. Hough. 
‘Hair in Folk-lore’ was the subject of a 
paper by Mr. H. H. Warner, containing a 
summary of folk-sayings and tales regard- 
ing the human hair. 
From the heirs of Dr. John Rae, a valu- 
able manuscript has been received, entitled, 
‘Laieikawai, a Legend of the Hawaiian 
Islands.’ This was written about thirty 
years ago. It was read in part by Mr. W. 
W. Newell. It is interesting because of 
the invention and dramatic power of the 
legend, as well as from the fact that it was 
written before the recent changes that tend 
to destroy the ancient myths. 
Dr. E. W. Scripture reported that the 
American Philological Association and the 
Modern Language Association had each 
