from a one-sided and thoroughly un-English point of view. The title of the paper was “Africa: its past, present and probable future”. The chief theory enunciated was that in times past foreign or intrusive races had occupied parts of that continent, back from the days of the Carthaginians and the Romans, up to times of mediaeval European nations, and that all in their turn had died out, leaving no vestige of their existence, having been overcome by the superiority of the native races. The same course of conquering, inhabiting and annexing had in late years taken place among the Anglo and Dutch Saxons at the southern, and the Celts at the northern extremities, and which Dr. Knocks(sic) believed would terminate in a similar manner. The paper, after being read was discussed by Dr. Hunt, the Rev. Tilson-Marsh, T. H. Cole, Esq., G. Scrivens, Esq., Dr. Moore and Mr. J. C. Womersley, all of whom dissented from the writer’s views, and introduced numerous facts to rebut Dr. Knox’s arguments.
“The Chronology of Egypt” was the title of another paper read at a meeting of the society on the 30th of January. The author and reader of the paper on this occasion was Samuel Sharpe, Esq., who claimed a less antiquity for the pyramids and other monuments than the period usually assigned to them. In a succinct and lucid manner he sketched the situations and history of the great monuments, and showed the methods adopted for arriving at their chronological data. He also alluded to the discovery of a method of reading the hieroglyphics. The 13,000 years that had been calculated by Mr. Horner to be required for the progress of Egypt to the present time, Mr. Sharp held to be fallacious, and thought that it might very well be divided by four.
“The Influence of Domestic Animals on Civilization” was the title of a paper read at the monthly meeting of the society on the 8th of February, Dr. Hunt being the chairman, and J. Crawford, Esq. being the author of the paper, which was read by the secretary, T. H. Cole, Esq. The paper was full of interesting facts and details, the object being to show that in proportion to the possession of domestic animals, among New Zealanders and the aborigines of other countries, man has progressed or retrograded. In the discussion which ensued, Mr. Rock thought it was a question how far the supply of of domestic animals had kept pace with the requirements of an advanced civilization. Mr. Tate differed from the conclusions of the paper, and contended that the domestication of animals was the effect and not the cause of civilization.
“Works of Art in the Drift”. At the March meeting of the society, the President, James Hunt, Esq. read a paper, with the title here -
