192 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



account of the ditFerent ways in which cells multiply. The 

 paper was illustrated throughout by a series of carefully executed 

 diagrams. 



20th Octobek, 1876. 



Mr. J. Harvie, Vice-President, in the chair, 



Mr. J. J. King was elected a member of the Society. 



SPECIMENS EXHIBITED. 



By Mr. J. Renwick. — Specimens of the Hop and Toad-flax from 

 Loch Lomond. 



By Mr. R. H. Paterson. — Twenty-six species of star-fish dredged 

 by himself in the Firth of Clyde, 



PAPER READ. 



" On some Remains of Pre-Historic Man," By Mr, W, J. Milligan. 



In this paper it was maintained that all the remains of pre-historic 

 man support the theory of the progressive development of the race ; 

 and that the theory of the degeneracy of man is not supported by 

 any of these remains. It was pointed out that traces of primitive 

 man and his flint implements have been discovered in such positions 

 that it may be held as proven that he existed at a very remote 

 period — a period far before the eras of our chronological tables. 

 Then it was shown that if it be true that man's first estate was one 

 of advanced civilization, then it must have taken long ages for his 

 becoming reduced to the level of cave dwellings and flint implements. 

 So that upholders of the degeneracy theory will be forced at last, in 

 support of that theory, to give man even a greater antiquity than 

 the evolutionists will be inclined to allow him ! The wonderful 

 remains of cyclopean architecture and vast sculptures found in various 

 parts of the world, and particularly those of Easter Island and 

 Central America, were described at length. These great ruins show 

 that the builders were partially civilized, but it was pointed out, that 

 this kind of architecture, in which great blocks of stones were used, 

 was a primitive one ; and that these huge useless monuments could 

 only be raised by the wasted labour of a large population in a lowly 

 grade of civilization. The building of the Pyramids and of the 



