February jrd, 1920.] Proceedings. xv. 



Ollcm. A distinct change of colour in the exposed parts began 

 after about 3 years after which a rich brown began to develop. 

 This was followed after an average period of about 30 years by a 

 blackening of the surface. When exposure had lasted a hundred 

 years or more the whole of the exposed surface was sometimes 

 charred or scorched to a uniform black, which presented under 

 the microscope the appearance of coal, but the charring did not 

 penetrate far below the surface. The fact that the sun's action 

 was more marked on the western than on the eastern aspects 

 appeared to indicate that the changes were brought about more 

 by thermo-chemical than by photo-chemical action. The maxi- 

 mum temperature recorded by the black bulb thermometer in 

 these Alpine altitudes was 66° C, which was very much below 

 the temperature of decomposition at present generally accepted 

 (130 C). By prolonged heating of wood to 93 C. he had 

 succeeded in producing not only browning but even incipient 

 blackening of the surface. Further experiments in this direc- 

 tion were being undertaken but would require a long time for 

 completion. The temperature of decomposition of wood appeared 

 to have an important bearing on the question of coal formation. 

 Incidentally the lecturer mentioned that bleached cotton was 

 more or less profoundly altered by prolonged heating to a 

 temperature considerably below the boiling point of water. 



Mr. William Thomson, F.R.S.E-, F.I.C.. and Mr. Herbert 

 S, Newman, M.Sc.Tech., read a paper entitled " On the 

 Behaviour of Amalgamated Aluminium and Aluminium 

 Wire." 



This paper is incorporated with that read on May 18th, 1920. 

 (See Proceedings, 1919-20, p. xxiv.) 



Mr. C. E. Stromeyer, Mem.Inst.CE., M.Inst.M.E., read a 

 paper entitled " The After Effects of Cannibalism." 



The author explained that cannibalism would not be indulged 

 in by people with vegetarian tastes nor by people who, having 

 a craving for animal food, could satisfy it, as was the case 

 with the North American Indians and the North Europeans. 

 Others who had this craving but who had no animals to eat, for 

 instance the Fiji Islanders whose largest animals were one rat 

 and five ty^pes of bat, would become cannibals. But no state in 

 which indiscriminate man-eating was indulged in could have 

 flourished unless cannibalism was controlled. Officials had 

 therefore to be appointed, and these would invent rites and 

 ceremonies for the protection of their craft. These ceremonies 

 would after a time become religious rites. 



This state had been reached in Mexico when the Spaniards 

 arrived ; it seems also to have been reached in the Mesopotamian 



