ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. XV. 



of the dual number in both, and traces of the trial in the 

 Eastern Polynesian as in Tonga and Samoa, the use common 

 to all of inclusive and exclusive pronouns, the reciprocal 

 and causative forms of the verbs, the use of transitive 

 terminations, and many other points are neither few nor 

 insignificant as pointing to a common origin of both 

 languages. This opinion is also strengthened by a com- 

 parison of the manners and customs of the different peoples, 

 especially by the survivals in culture among the later 

 Polynesians of the customs and traditions of their Papuan 

 ancestors. This part of the lecture was illustrated by 

 specimens of some words, notably such as 'ruma,' 'fale,' 

 4 fanua,' which are common both to the Malay, Papuan and 

 the Polynesian languages, and this the lecturer accounted 

 for by the fact that they were in his opinion words in com- 

 mon use amongst the original peoples who inhabited the 

 Malay Peninsula prior to the Malay irruption, and that 

 became the common property of both races. They were 

 in the language of the Papuan races, in that of the mixed 

 races which constitute the brown Polynesian whom the 

 Malays drove out, were adopted by the Malays, and so are 

 found to-day in all the branches of these families. The 

 lecturer then showed descriptive slides of the different 

 places and^the peoples who inhabit them, and also exhibited 

 a very fine series of slides of the recent volcanic eruption 

 in Samoa. 



ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, JULY 3, 1907. 



The General Monthly Meeting of the Society was held 

 at the Society's House, No. 5 Elizabeth-street North, on 

 Wednesday evening, July 3rd, 1907. 



Prof. Liversidge, m.a., ll.d., f.r.s., in the Chair. 



Thirty-four members and two visitors were present. 



