OCTOBER 15, 1897.] 
The chief portion of the report was an 
extended folk-lore collection by the late 
Dr. Gregor. 
In connection with the report Professor 
Macalister gave an interesting résumé of 
anthropometric data procured by him and 
Professor Haddon from the scientists on the 
Parisian, who kindly submitted to these 
measurements. 
34. The Evolution of the Cart and Irish Car 
(lantern illustrations). PRorrssor A.C. 
Happon. 
By means of excellent slides the author 
showed the various stages in the develop- 
ment of the body and the wheels of the 
eart and the Irish car, and demonstrated 
how its retention was a matter of adaptation 
to the soil rather than of extreme conserva- 
tism. In the discussion which followed, 
many members took part and the wide prey- 
alence of solid wooden wheels and other 
primitive cart elements was made evident. 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24. 
35. The Jesup Expedition to the North Pacific 
Coast. PRrorsssor F. W. Purman. 
The first part of the morning session had 
been set apart for the discussion of ‘ Evi- 
dences of American-Asiatic Contact’ and the 
subject was introduced by Professor Putnam, 
who, after giving an account of the origin of 
the Jesup expedition now exploring the 
North Pacific Coast, under the auspices of 
the American Museum of Natural History, 
New York, gave at some length his reasons 
for believing in the contact under discus- 
sion. Professor Putnam refused to believe 
that the aborigines of America belonged to 
one and the same race, and was inclined to 
mark off the culture races of Mexico, Cen- 
tral and South America and the Mound 
Builders from the North American Indians. 
The Eskimo of East Greenland were per- 
haps métis with early paleolithic man; the 
Caribs suggested an Africo-Mediterranean 
SCIENCE. 
581 
origin. The art of Central America, too, 
was suggestive of Mongolian contact. 
The discussion on the paper was begun 
by Professor E. S. Morse, who at some 
length discussed the evidence so far brought 
forward of culture influencing contact be- 
tween the peoples of America and those of 
Asia, concluding that the very ancient civ- 
ilization of China and the adjacent coun- 
tries had never penetrated to the New 
World. From a comparative study of the 
two world-civilizations such contact ap- 
peared not to be proved. Mr. F. H. Cush- 
ing, from his investigations of the arts, 
games, etc., of the Zufiis was led to the 
same conclusion, that the American peoples 
unaffected by cultural influences from Asia 
had been working out their own destiny. 
Dr. A. F. Chamberlain expressed his belief 
in the unity of the American race and the 
absence of any clear proof of cultural contact. 
36. Why Progress is in Leaps. Guo. Inxs. 
Taking the mastery of electricity and the 
invention of photography and all the im- 
provements and useful discoveries which 
have followed in their train, Mr. Iles indi- 
cated the role these factors play in the in- 
creased acceleration of human progress, 
making a day with us more than a thous- 
and years with our ancestors. Such things 
are multipliers of, not additions to, human 
genius. 
37. Note on the Transmission of Acquired Char- 
acters (lantern illustrations). PRorEssor 
J. C. Ewart. : 
An account of the foal of an Arab mare, 
supposed to be infected by the zebra sire of 
her first foal. 
38. The Kafirs of Kafiristan (lantern illustra- 
tions). Sir Gror@r Ropertson. 
An interesting account of a people whose 
Greek physiognomy has been noted by more 
than one observer. Their bridge-building, 
wall-decorations, tombs, the sphere of wo- 
man, ete., were discussed. 
