34 



REPOET OF THE SECEETAEY. 



British Guiana. — P. Figyelmesy, esq., United States consul, lias pre- 

 sented a valuable series of articles in use among the tribes of Indians 

 now living in the interior of that country, including sets of bows and 

 arrows, war clubs, a blow-gun, with two cases of arrows poisoned with 

 the wouralij an emblem of office, consisting of a club and a paddle com- 

 bined ; a stone chisel, and also head dresses, made of brilliant- 

 colored feathers, bracelets of the green and gold wing cases of a large 

 species of beetle, {Buprestis,) beaded aprons worn by females, a necklace 

 of the teeth of the peccary, and a flute constructed of the long bones of 

 a wading bird. 



From Central America, Dr. Earl Flint, while examining the Island of 

 Ornatepe, in Lake Nicaragua, obtained for the Institution, from ancient 

 tombs, an idol and three earthenware vases of much interest. From 

 Chiriqui, an unknown donor has contributed an earthenware vase. 



France. — The prehistoric caverns and rock shelters of France, under 

 the persevering investigation of Professor B. Lartet, have yielded 

 such a harvest of precious relics, and of ingenious and interesting de- 

 ductions, as to have conferred on him a world-wide renown. Out of 

 his abundant materials he has with much liberality presented to the 

 Institution several cases filled with objects, of which it will suffice to 

 enumerate a few prominent specimens. Of the animals contempo- 

 raneous with man in those obscure times, there are bones of the horse, 

 some of them gnawed by wolves ; of the aurochs, rhinoceros, wild goat, 

 chamois, hyena, reindeer, including a very perfect jaw and teeth of the 

 cave-bear. Associated with these are two small bones of the human 

 skeleton, apparently belonging to the phalanges of the hand. Among 

 the implements of war, of domestic use, and articles of ornament, are 

 casts of bone implements, chiefly for making perforations, stone knives, 

 sculptured horn of reindeer, and bone aigrettes, probably for fastening 

 skin or fur dresses ; also a mortar for grinding grain or fruits, and casts 

 of arrow-heads, in forms very similar to those of American specimens ; 

 and many flakes of flint struck from the core while making knives, 

 arrow-points, or other articles. The European flint is better adapted 

 to this manufacture than any stone found in America, except obsidian. 

 These flint chips were gathered from fourteen different localities in 

 France, indicating the prevalence of the art of forming cutting imple- 

 ments of stone and the density of the population. Professor Lartet 

 has also contributed several large masses of the breccia which occupies 

 the floor of the caves, consisting of bones and teeth of animals, flint 

 flakes, pebbles, and other objects cemented together into a solid pave- 

 ment. The composition of these masses apparently indicates the great 

 antiquity of man, since they present the stone implements of his con- 

 struction embedded in the same materials with the bones of the rhinoc- 

 eros and other extinct animals. The most remarkable portion of this 

 collection may, however, be said to consist of the illustrations of the 

 art of sculpture as it existed among the prehistoric races. The material 



