DISCOVERY OF INDIAN KEMAINS, COUNTY NORFOLK. 515 



riched the Cabinet of the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia would 

 form a valuable addition to the museum of the Canadian Institute, 

 and many facilities exist for its attainment. Every year agricultural 

 operations are extending into new districts, and breaking up virgin 

 soil. In the progress of clearing the ancient forests, and bringing the 

 land into cultivation, places of sepulture must frequently be invaded, 

 where the remains of the long-buried chief lie undisturbed, alongside 

 of specimens of the rude arts which furnish proofs of the condition of 

 society to which he belonged. Railway and other operations are in 

 like manner leading to extensive excavations in regions hitherto un- 

 touched by the spade or plough ; and these also frequently expose to 

 view similar relics of the ancient or more recently displaced aborigi- 

 nes ; though it is just cause of regret that they have hitherto, in so 

 very few cases, been rescued from destruction. "When, however, we 

 remember the apathy with which many educated men have witnessed, 

 and even countenanced the destruction of interesting memorials of the 

 past, in the old world, it is scarcely to be hoped that the rude railway 

 navy, or the first agricultural explorers of the wild lands of the North 

 and West, will greatly interest themselves in objects of scientific 

 curiosity ; but now that the members of the Canadian Institute are 

 scattered over nearly every district of the Province, it may be hoped 

 they will be found prepared for hearty co-operation in the accumula- 

 tion of facts, and in the preservation of the material evidences whereby 

 the ancient history of this continent and its people may be elucidated. 

 In many cases the condition in which the skulls and other remains 

 of the former occupants of our Canadian clearings are found, is such 

 as to present no obstacle to their preservation. It is to be noted, 

 however, that the more ancient such remains are, the greater is the 

 interest and value they are likely to possess. No indications have 

 yet been noticed of a race in Canada corresponding to the Brachy- 

 cephalic or square-headed mound"builders of the Mississippi, although 

 such an approximation to that type undoubtedly prevails throughout 

 this continent as, to a considerable extent, to bear out the conclusions 

 of Dr. Morton, that a conformity of organisation is obvious in the 

 osteological struetm'e of the whole American population, extending from 

 the southern Fuegians, to the Indians skirting the Arctic Esquimaux. 

 But such an approximation — and it is unquestionably no more — still 

 leaves open many important questions relative to the area and race of 

 the ancient mound-builders. On our northern shores of the great 

 chain of lakes, crania of the more recent brachiocephalic type have 

 unquestionably been repeatedly found in comparatively modern native 

 graves. Such however are the exception, and not the rule. The pre- 



