149 



Friday, December 28, 1855. 



Evening Meeting. William S. Messervy, Esq. presiding. 



The record, list of donations and several letters addressed to 

 Institute, were read by the Secretary. 



A skull, presented by C. L. Allen, having been assigned to 

 Dr. L. R. Stone, who said in his report that the skull placed in 

 his hands " has been lately received from Union Spring, 

 Cayuga County, state of New York, and is undoubtedly that 

 of some member of the Cayuga tribe, which waa one of the 

 Iroquois confederacy, known as the Five Nations. It is in a 

 good condition, though destitute of the lower jaw ; evidently 

 belonged to a person quite old, judging from the appearance of 

 the sutures. The bones likewise are thickened and dense, and 

 the occipital protuberance very strongly marked. By measure- 

 ments he had computed in inches and tenths its 



Intermastoid line 4 . 5 



Occipito-frontal arch 14 . 5 



Horizontal periphery 20 . 



Capacity, internally 80 cubic inches 

 Facial angle 70 degrees. 



The capacity of the anterior and posterior chambers and of 

 the coronal region, could not be taken without injuring the spe- 

 cimen. Dr. S. preceded his report by some interesting remarks 

 on the civil history of the tribe and of the confederacy to which 

 it belonged. 



After acceptance of the Eeport the chair entertained the 

 meeting with some very valuable and interesting observations 

 on what he had personally become acquainted with, during 

 several years residence and intercourse among the Indians of 

 the Great West. He had remarked diversities of character in 

 different tribes which he was inclined to trace to external causes 

 — to circumstances of procuring subsistence in the chase and 

 otherwise. He believed that there was a common language 

 among them all ; and that they were really but one family or 



Longitudinal diameter, viz : 7.4 



Parietal " 5 . 



Frontal '< 4.1 



Vertical " 5.4 



Intermastoid arch 13 . 5 



