builders, from its inhospitable character and the constant
variations in the water supply, also compelled the frequent use of this
material in the change of house and village sites. This was an important
factor in bringing about the degree of advancement attained in the art
of building. The distinguishing characteristics of Pueblo architecture
may therefore be regarded as the product of a defensive motive and of an
arid environment that furnished an abundance of suitable building
material, and at the same time the climatic conditions that compelled
its frequent employment.

The cultural distinctions once drawn by writers between the Pueblo
Indians and neighboring tribes gradually become less clearly defined as
they have been intelligently studied. An understanding of their social
and religious system establishes the essential identity in their grade
of culture with that of other tribes. In many of the arts, too, such as
weaving and ceramics, these people in no degree surpass many tribes who
build ruder dwellings. Though they have progressed far beyond their
neighbors in architecture, many of the devices employed attest the
essentially primitive character of their art, and demonstrate that the
apparent distinction in grade of culture is mainly due to the
exceptional condition of their environment.

This important and timely paper furnishes new evidence taken from one of
the strongholds of sentimental phantasy to show that there is no need
for the hypothesis of an extinct race with dense population and high
civilization to account for the conditions actually existing in North
America before the European discovery.

CEREMONIAL OF HASJELTI DAILJIS AND MYTHICAL SAND PAINTING OF THE NAVAJO
INDIANS, BY JAMES STEVENSON.

This paper, apart from its intrinsic merits, has a peculiar interest to
American anthropologists from its being the last official work of Mr.
Stevenson, whose untimely death on July 25, 1888, was noticed in a
former report. It shows his personal characteristics, being a clear and
accurate statement of the facts actually observed and of the information
acquired by him at first hand, without diffuseness or unnecessary
theorizing.

Hasjelti Dailjis, in the Navajo tongue, signifies the dance of Hasjelti,
who is the chief or rather the most important and conspicuous of the
gods. The word dance does not well designate the ceremonies, as they are
in general more histrionic than saltatory. The whole of the cerem