The cranial characters of the Esquimaux, Irish, Lappish, and Russian races have been so often described, that I pass over the minute comparison, and proceed at once to the evidences on the table. These consist of the following specimens:

1. Fragmentary calvaria of adult human individual. The contour of the skull has been brachycephalic, though its measurement is precluded by the fact that the left parietal, which alone exists, has been broken off from the frontal bone. The frontal region is bombate. Moderate superciliaries overhang a shallow supernasal notch. The nasal bones extend forwardly, and have not the slightest approach to the form presented by the Esquimaux, and in the "Turanian" skulls described by Dr. Pruner Bey. The superorbital foramina are converted into notches on both sides. A small piece of the alisphenoid bone exists, attached to the right frontal, indicating that there was a normal spheno-parietal suture. The dentitions and seriations in the coronal suture have been deep. The parietal bone of large size accords with the frontal in all essential characters of these sutures.

The occipital bone is in a very fragmentary condition. It is not marked with any prominent ridges for the attachment of muscles, a fact which, coupled with the small development of the mastoid processes, leads the observer to consider that the present skull has belonged to a female.

Three petrous bones, with fragmentary mastoid processes attached, exist in the collection. The smaller size and parial relationship of two of these render it probable that they belonged to one individual, and that the same whose cranial vault has just been described. One large, light, petrous bone appertains to an individual of much larger size, possibly masculine, but I regret that no other specimens are found of this interesting person.

A fractured palate, with two teeth in situ (the first and second molars), leaves evidence highly conclusive as to the food of the inhabitants of Thorsmörk. The crowns of the molars are much attrited by the consumption of hard substances, and are in the same condition as is presented by the teeth of the neighbouring but different race of Skrællings. The first and second molars are both implanted by three fangs.

The right clavicle (pl. xix), which is found with both extremities broken away, indicates an individual smaller in size, and with lighter and more slender clavicles, than the Australian drawn by Owen in "Trans. Zool. Soc.," vol. v, plate ii, figure 4, and of course more so than in the European drawn in figure 2 of the same plate. Three long and slender femora, a right first rib, a large axis vertebra, a fragment of shattered humerus, and a cuneiform carpal bone are found in the collection.

VOL. II.

A A

II. HOG.

The remains consist entirely of fragmentary limb bones and of a few teeth. These need not be noticed in detail.

III. HORSE.

The equine remains from Thorsmörk are interesting. The first molar, and the fourth premolar tooth of the lower jaw, as well as the third deciduous molar of another individual, indicate the existence of a horse of ordinary dimensions as large as the ordinary European horse of the present day, and larger than the Shetland or Dartmoor ponies. There are few points of resemblance between these teeth and those of the Equus spelæus figured by Owen. ("Philosophical Transactions," 1869, plate 57.)

IV. Ox.

Teeth of the Bos taurus are present, though in an imperfect condition.

From the above remarks it will be, I believe, clear that the skulls now described belong to the Norwegian race, though possibly there may be an admixture of Celtic blood derived from the descendants of the Irish prisoners brought into Iceland by the Norsemen. But in no sense can these be termed any Esquimaux or "Boreal" affinities. That prior to the year A.D. 860, when the expedition of Naddod to "Snæland" brought Iceland face to face with Norwegian civilisation, a more ancient race, allied to the Esquimaux, may have existed in Iceland is a possible speculation, but one of which as yet we possess no anthropological proofs. The domestic fauna which exists in Iceland appears to accord for the most part with that of Norway, and the people do not appear to possess any intermixture of Esquimaux blood.

DISCUSSION.

Mr. MAGNUSSON said, as regards the possibility of an admixture of Esquimaux blood in the Icelandic nation it cannot be maintained on historical grounds. There is no record extant to countenance the supposition that at any time Iceland has been inhabited, wholly or partially, by this polar race. The island lies out of the belt of the Esquimaux, and he would find himself there entirely out of his element, the conditions for the existence of human life in Iceland being entirely different from those on which life in the polar regions depends. The parts of the country first discovered by the Norwegians were found to be entirely uninhabited; and it was first in A.D. 874, or thereabouts, that the first settlers came upon living human beings there. These, however, were not Esquimaux, but Irish culdees, who had taken up their hermit abode in some of the outlying islands off

the south and south-east coast-their solitude being more congenial to the spirit of the anchorite than a residence on the mainland, which meant a more energetic fight with nature than a residence on the islands. The spirit of priest and pirate being then no more homogeneous than now, the Westmen- -as they were called by the invader -were soon destroyed. This is, briefly stated, what we learn about these Westmen from Icelandic sources of history. But from Irish sources we learn more. The Irish monk Dicuil, of the eighth century, has written a book called "De Mensura orbis Terræ,” in which he says that in A.D. 795, he spoke to some Irish hermits having returned from an island in the north, which he calls Ultima Thule, and which from his description can be none other than Iceland. It is therefore certain that Iceland had been discovered from Great Britain or Ireland some seventy years at the least before the Norwegians ever came there. As to the human remains before us, they need be no older than the eleventh century, unless scientific evidence should prove the contrary, for at the beginning of that century, and long afterwards, Thórsmörk, the locality from which they are said to come, was an inhabited countryside. Their real value, I presume, depends entirely on their antiquity; but being no philosopher in matters of this nature, I take leave of the bones and Captain Burton's paper, which has thus far disappointed me, that I have learned from it much less than I anticipated.

Dr. CARTER BLAKE agreed with Dr. King that no affinities to the Esquimaux were presented by the present specimens. Many Lapp skulls existed in the Continental museums, and some Tschuktchi; but there was great dearth of Esquimaux skulls from Behring's Straits. On the hypothesis that the Aïno skulls exhibited Esquimaux affinities, it was difficult to discuss the question. Dr. Rae's observations on the stature of the Esquimaux were certainly interesting. The skeletons in our museums were short and stout; but how far were they typical examples of the race? The circulation of the queries by the Arctic Exploration Committee would tend to elucidate these questions. With regard to the observations which had fallen from Mr. Erikr Magnusson; he was himself "agreeably disappointed" that the Institute was not to be converted into a 'holmgang' wherein to criticise Captain Burton's excellently narrated facts. He failed to perceive what evidence a French or Irish monk could have possessed of Culdees in Iceland in A.D. 795, as Iceland was not discovered (according to Mr. Magnusson's statement) till A.D. 874, and according to ordinary chronologists, till A.D. 860. In matters wherein the veracity of a distinguished traveller had been attacked, it was necessary that the utmost care should be taken respecting facts and dates. Captain Burton in no part of his paper assigned a high antiquity to the bones, which may either belong to the time of Björnt Njal, or to a far more recent period.

The meeting then adjourned.

DECEMBER 3RD, 1872.

SIR JOHN LUBBOCK, Bart., F.R.S., President, in the Chair.

THE minutes of the last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed.

The following presents were announced, and the thanks of the meeting voted to the respective donors:

FOR THE LIBRARY.

From the AUTHOR.-Les Derniers Travaux relatifs aux Bohémiens, by Paul Bataillard.

From the SOCIETY.-Proceedings of the Royal Society, vol. xx, No. 138.

From the AUTHOR.-Project of an Instrument for the Identification of Persons, by Joseph Bonomi.

From the EDITOR.-Human Nature for December, 1872.

From the SOCIETY.-Oversigt over det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskabs, No. 3, 1871, No. 1, 1872.

From A. W. FRANKS, Esq.-Berliner Gesellschaft fur Anthro., Ethno., und Urgeschichte, 13, 17, April 1872.

From the EDITOR.-Nature (to date).

Colonel A. LANE Fox exhibited a series of stone celts, and read the following communication thereon:

COLONEL A. LANE Fox exhibited seven stone celts presented to him by Colonel Pearse, R.A., who procured them from the grove and hill-top temples of the Malayalis or hill tribes of the Shevaroy Hills. Salem is the capital of this district, situated on the railway, half-way between Madras on the east, and Beypore on the west coast.

The following are the forms and dimensions of these objects; No. 1. 5 in. in length, 24 in. greatest width, 11⁄2 in. thick, slightly chipped edge, almond shaped. No. 2. 5 in. in length, 2 in. in width, 11⁄2 in. thick, chipped on edge, nearly triangular. No. 3. 4 in. in length, 2 in. in width, 14 in. thick, triangular. Nos. 4 and 5. 31⁄2 in. in length, 2 in. and 13 in. in width, 13 thick, irregular wedge-shaped. Nos. 6 and 7. 2 in. in length, 1 in. in width, 14 and 1 in. thick. All appear to be composed of a hard dark-coloured trap rock, and are a good deal weathered.

Another stone of jasper, found in the Kamptee cantonments, is a purely natural form. This, Colonel Fox observed, was the second natural pebble he had received within the week from distant countries; one from India and the other from Greece,