310 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



3. Is a class of singular mask-like figures, in which the human face alone 

 is represented, presumably of the natural size. A very fine speciitien of a he- 

 matite from a mound in Missouri was exhibited. 



The fourth class of the sculptured objects were representations of the human 

 form, and may have been real idols. One of them, from a mound in Union 

 county, Illinois, is cut from quartzite, one of the most refractory rocks we have. 

 The body is represented in the sitting posture, the hands on the knees. The 

 face, which is not a bad one, is composed and natural, but has not the features 

 of our modern Indian. The figure is smooth and highly polished, and is, per- 

 haps, the finest piece of aboriginal sculpture that has been found in the United 

 States. 



Mr. McAdams thinks these objects exhibited by him were connected, or 

 used, in their religious observance. The speaker thought the evidence from the 

 mounds would seem to show that the Mound-builders were fire-worshipers, and 

 perhaps adored the sun. Sometimes at the burial of noted persons, human sac- 

 rifice was made. In exploring some of the large mounds of IlHnois he has found 

 as many as ten and fifteen buried human sacrifices around a central skeleton, 

 with rich implements of stone. 



Mr. McAdams' most interesting paper was illustrated by a large number of 

 images and idols which he described, and which he has taken from the mounds 

 of Illinois and Missouri. It has heretofore been held by some of our best archae- 

 ologists that it were doubtful if we had any American idols, but it is claimed by 

 others that we not only have stone idols from the latter mounds, but that, as is 

 claimed by Mr, McAdams, human sacrifice in the most hideous form was made 

 to the stone objects. One of the idols shown, found in Union county, Illinois, 

 weighs over forty pounds, and is carved from that most refractory of rocks, 

 quartz, and as a work of art is no mean effort. It is singular that this figure, 

 which has a good face, does not resemble that of our red Indian. We are glad to 

 see these subjects, which have for so many years been covered by so much mys- 

 tery, being investigated by our scientific men. The Mississippi Valley is a grand 

 field for explorations. The beautiful mound pipes shown by Mr. McAdams, one 

 of which is a fine figure of the American eagle, with his defiant and erect attitude, 

 is very artistic, aiid shows, too, that Illinois had the same race of Mound-builders 

 as Ohio. In fact they are found everywhere, as Mr. McAdams pointedly re- 

 marked: " It is most singular that all primitive men, no matter where their re- 

 mains are found, seem to have done precisely the same things, in the same way." 



J. G. Henderson, of Illinois, read a paper on the " Houses of the Ancient 

 Inhabitants of the Mississippi Valley." 



Papers were also read : " On the Inhabitants of Northeastern Siberia, com- 

 monly called Chukchis and NamoUo," W. H. Dall. 



" Comparative Differences in the Iroquois Group of Dialects," Mrs. Ermin- 

 nie A. Smith. 



" On the Ancient Japanese Bronze Bells," Edward S. Morse. 



