300 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



terns that a mother's brother and an elder brother were addressed by the 

 same term; and that a father's sister's son was addressed as "father", 

 while a father's sister's daughter was addressed as "mother." Dr. Lowie 

 was able to state that the second peculiarity recorded by Morgan is car- 

 ried out to an even greater extent, — father's sister, father's sister's daugh- 

 ter, father's sister's daughter's daughter, as well as all succeeding female 

 descendants in the female line being included under a common kinship 

 designation. The explanation of this disregard of generations in both of 

 the cases that struck Morgan's attention seems to lie in the influence of 

 the clan concept. As there is maternal descent among the Crow and 

 Hidatsa, my mother^s elder brother and my own elder brother are both my 

 fellow-clansmen ; and as fellow-clansmen are considered brothers, a single 

 kinship term, regardless of age, becomes intelligible. Similarly, my 

 father's sister and all her female descendants through females are mem- 

 bers of the same clan as my father. But a father's clansfolk are consid- 

 ered fathers and mothers (or aunts, when not directly addressed) regard- 

 less of age ; hence it is natural that the term for "father's sister" should 

 include all the female descendants through females of a father's sister. 

 The correctness of this view is corroborated by a test-case. As soon as the 

 clan element is eliminated, a different kinship term must be used. While 

 my father's sister's daughter's daughter is my mother (or aunt), my 

 father^s sister's son's daughter is not, for she can no longer belong to my 

 father's clan in an exogamous clan system with matrilineal descent. 

 The Section then adjourned. 



R. H. Lowie, 



Secretary. 



BUSINESS MEETING 

 3 November, 1913 



The Academy met at 5 :40 p. m. at the American Museum of Natural 

 History, Vice-President J. E. Woodman presiding. 



The minutes of the last business meeting were read and approved. 



The following candidates for membership in the Academy, recom- 

 mended by Council, were duly elected : 



Active Membership 



George A. Galliver, 60 Broadway, 



Freeman F. Burr, 149 Waller Ave., White Plains. 



