Strickland, H. E., don. to mus., 37; Warwick, Mr, don. to mus., 71. don. to lib., 51, 76, 135, 192, 196, Swiss Nat. Hist. Soc., don to lib., 198. Taylor, Richard C., don. to mus., 298; Taylor, Frederick, don. to mus., 133. Trautwine, J. C., don. to mus., 159, 297. Treasurer of the Academy, announce- Troschel, Dr., don. by, of Archiv für Western Journal of Agriculture, don. of Wetherill, J. Price, don. to mus., 297, 358; announcement by, of decease of Wilson, Dr. Thomas B., don. to mus. Wilson, Edward, don. to mus., 133, 255, Wilson. E. T. & C. W., don. to mus. Wood, Prof. Geo. B., don. to mus., 133. U. S. Departments, don. to lib., 41, 192, Wood, Wm., don. to lib., 76. Vaux, Wm. S., don. to mus., 191, 229, Verreaux, M. Edouard, don. to mus., 37. Ward, Wm., don to, mus., 358. Wood, Wm., don. to mus., 71, 160, 256, 296. Woodhouse, Dr. S. W., on the North Yorkshire Philosoph. Soc., don. to lib., 76. Zantzinger, Dr. Wm. S., don. to mus., Zeublin, Mr., don. to mus., 160. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. January 1, 1850. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. A letter was read, dated New York, December, 1849, accompanying the donation made this evening of the Python, from Mr. Sandwith Drinker, of Hong Kong, China. Also a letter from Mr. J. M. Richardson, of London, dated November 30, 1849, desiring information of a mode of transmitting to the Academy certain Nos. of the Journal of the Indian Archipelago. Dr. Morton, having resigned the Chair to Mr. Ashmead, read a continuation of his Memoir on the size of the Brain in the various races and families of Man; which was referred to the Committee on the previous portions of the paper. A communication was read from Prof. Spencer F. Baird, Correspondent of the Academy, dated December 21, 1849, desiring to be considered as a Member from that date. January 15th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. Dr. Morton read a continuation of his paper on the size of the Brain in the various races of Man, which was referred to the Committee on the previous portions. He then followed with some remarks on the volume of the brain in the savage tribes, which he stated to be greater than in the half civilized races of Mexico and Peru. He mentioned some facts proving the antiquity of the characteristics of the several groups of the human race, and exhibited some plates from the forthcoming work of Dr. Lepsius, representing purely Egyptian forms copied from bas-reliefs in tombs at the base of the great Pyramid, dating back 3400 years before Christ. Also some copies of pictures in temples more than 2000 years later, still exhibiting the same well marked characters of PROCEED. ACAD. NAT, SCI. OF PHILADELPHIA.-VOL. V NO. I. 1 the race the greater the antiquity, the more decided were these characters. Dr. Morton thought that it would be now admitted that at the earliest period known, the groups of the human family presented as great diversity as at present. The Egyptian crania in his collection, taken from the identical tombs referred to, at the base of the great Pyramid, as well as those from Thebes and Memphis, when compared with the figures in Dr. Lepsius' plates, exhibited a most marked resemblance. The Egyptian tombs, although occupied by successive families, still contained the original occupants, and in all places presented skulls possessing the same peculiarities of type. The modern Egyptian Fellahs are the old Egyptians crossed with the Arabs. The skull of the old Egyptian cannot be confounded with that of any other race. January 22d. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. Mr. Conrad read a paper, intended for publication in the Journal, entitled, "Descriptions of eight new species of Eocene Shells." Referred to Mr. Phillips, Dr. Griffith and Dr. Wilson. A paper by Mr. Peter A. Browne, entitled "Examination and descriptions of the tegumentary appendages of the Ornithorynchus paradoxus," was read and referred to Mr. Phillips, Dr. Morton and Mr. Cassin. Dr. Morton having resigned the Chair to Dr. Ruschenberger, made some remarks supplementary to those offered at the last meeting, and also in continuation of the subject of his Memoir on the size of the Brain in Man. January 29th. Mr. PHILLIPS in the Chair. The Publication Committee announced that Part 4, Vol. 1, New Series of the Journal, would be ready for distribution at the next meeting, February 5th, 1850. The Society, after the transaction of some other business, then proceeded to an election for Standing Committees for the ensuing year, with the following result: The Treasurer of the Publication Committee read the Annual Report, which was adopted. The Auditors reported that the Treasurer's account for 1849 had been examined by them, and found correct. The Committee to which was referred Mr. Conrad's paper, describ ing eight new species of Eocene fossils, reported in favor of its publication in the Journal. The following resolution, offered by Dr. Bridges, was adopted: Resolved, That the resolution, passed June 29th, 1847, allowing the Publication Committee to supply subscribers to the Journal with the Proceedings gratis, be rescinded. On motion of Mr. Vaux, it was Resolved, That the Publication Committee be authorised to present Vol. 1, New Series of the Journal, to the Royal Historical and Geographical Society of Rio Janeiro. ELECTION. Francis N. Buck, Esq., of Philadelphia, was elected a Member; and the Chevalier Manoel Ferreira Lagos, of Rio Janeiro, was elected a Correspondent of the Academy. February 5th. Dr. MORTON, President, in the Chair. Letters were read: From the Secretary of the Linnean Society, of London, acknowledging the receipt of Part 3, Vol. 1, New Series of the Journal. From the Principal Librarian of the British Museum, returning acknowledgments for Nos. 9 and 10, Vol. 4, of the Proceedings. From the Corresponding Secretary of the National Institute at Washington, acknowledging the receipt of Nos. 9, 10, and 11, Vol. 4, of Proceedings. Dr. Morton, in confirmation of some remarks made on several previous occasions, on the characteristic conformation of the Egyptian cranium, exhibited several skulls from his collection, taken from tombs dating upwards of 3000 years before the Christian Era. These skulls showed a remarkable delicacy of structure of the whole cranio-facial region; the cranium being of an elongated oval form, the facial angle averaging 78°, and the internal capacity 80 cubic inches; in the last respect corresponding to the modern Fellah of the Nile. The expression of the bones of the face of the ancient Egyptian is neither European nor Asiatic, but peculiar, sui generis. The ArabEgyptian, or Fellah of the present day, is the Arab engrafted on the Ancient Egyptian, and dates from the sixth century of our Era. All the Coptic heads of the present period have some negro characters: they are those of the population of the towns which are notoriously licentious. The Fellahs, or rural population, are free from this taint. |