It is a very significant fact that the first memorandum issued by the International Institute of African Languages and Cultures should be devoted to Practical Orthography, for in no branch of African study is there such diversity of practice as in the orthography of the languages. Moreover it is probably no exaggeration to say that, inasmuch as the reading and writing of his language form the Native's first step in education, no question is of greater urgency than this matter of presenting the written language in a way that shall be logically satisfactory.

CE que regarde de loin le laboureur quand il se redresse, c'est le village. Ce n'est pas le désir de manger qui est cause de cela, c'est tout le passé qui l'attire de ce côté\

THE Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick D. Lugard, G.C.M.G., D.S.O., served in Uganda during the period of settlement, and subsequently in Nigeria, where he was Governor General from 1914-19. He has been a member of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations since 1922. His best-known book is The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa.

L'INSTITUT se propose deux buts principaux. Il entend d'abord être un bureau général d'information destiné à recueillir et à diffuser les renseignements de toute nature relatifs aux langues, aux civilisations, aux problèmes particuliers intéressant l'Afrique. Il s'efforcera, en même temps, d'établir la liaison entre les spécialistes qui s'occupent de ces questions. Il cherchera ensuite à unir la science aux expériences pratiques en indiquant comment les découvertes de la première peuvent être utilisées pour l'administration, l'éducation, l'hygiène, le bien-être, l'évolution des Africains. Des recherches sur les bases de la propriété foncière et du droit, la notion de délit et les idées qui s'y rattachent, aideront puissamment les magistrats ayant à trancher des litiges ou à réprimer des infractions. Par ailleurs des enquêtes sur les effets du contact entre les civilisations européennes et africaines, les modifications qui découlent de celui-ci, et les transformations de la vie intéresseront l'agriculture, l'élevage, le commerce, la colonisation.

THE Fourth Meeting of the Executive Council of the Institute was held on November 24 and 25, 1927, at Brussels, in the Palais des Académies, kindly placed at its disposal by the Prime Minister and Minister for the Colonies. The Rt. Hon. Sir F. D. Lugard was in the chair and members present included Rev. Father Dubois, Professor Lévy-Bruhl, Mr. J. H. Oldham, Sir Denison Ross, Professor Schachtzabel, Rev. Father Schebesta, Professor Seligman, Rev. E. W. Smith, Professor Van der Kerken, Professor Westermann (Director), Monsieur H. Labouret (Director), Mr. H. Vischer (Secretary General), and Miss D. G. Brackett (Secretary). The delegates were welcomed by the Prime Minister and received in audience by H. M. the King of the Belgians. Prince Léopold, who has recently visited the Belgian Congo, was present at a large reception at the house of the Prime Minister and manifested great interest in the work of the Institute.