314 



to be related to medium sulcatum, figured in the 232nd plate 

 of my British Insects." Mr. Curtis states, that Ptini breed 

 in such situations ; and the insect being a perfectly new 

 species, for which he proposes the name ofptinus mortuorum, 

 he thinks it worthy of being described, and offers his ser- 

 vices for that purpose. The mouth of the mummy was next 

 examined : the lower lip appears to have been split, pro- 

 bably after the manner of the natives of Nookta Sound, 

 spoken of by Captain Cook. The teeth are now exposed to 

 view ; those of the lower and upper jaw are separated by 

 some substance placed between. The hair, which has 

 been cleaned and placed in its proper position, exhibits a 

 beautiful mode of head adornment ; two large plaits formed 

 of a number of smaller ones, and tied at the end, hang down 

 by the side of the face towards either shoulder : it is long, 

 black, and slightly sprinkled with grey in front. The hair 

 at back is likewise plaited, having seven plaits on one side, and 

 eight on the other. The whole is collected in a tie behind, 

 one lock forming the centre. In the bend of the arm was 

 found the weight or plummet of a fishing line, (probably that 

 which was twisted round the fingers of the left hand,) formed 

 of some metallic substance as yet undecided on. In the 

 British Museum there is a Peruvian mummy, an enlarged 

 drawing of which Dr. Wilde exhibited from the work of Dr. 

 Pettigrew ; in this the hands are extended along the sides of 

 the face, but the rest of the body is in the position of the 

 one before the meeting, than which it is much less perfect, 

 and the head is completely devoid of hair. 



Dr. Wildethen read several extracts bearing upon the sub- 

 ject of Peruvian mummies, and mentioned the name of Mr. 

 J.R. Pentland,who, in a communication made toTiedemann, 

 and translated by Professor Graves, in the Dublin Journal 

 for July, 1834, gives an account of the ancient graves called 

 Huxeas, in the Valley of Titicaca ; these sepulchres have 

 the form of high round towers, and in some places are con- 



