24 Field Museum or Natural History — Reports, Vol. III. 



James Mooney continued his researches among the Cheyenne, in 

 accordance with the arrangements entered into with the Bureau of 

 Ethnology. Dr. Newcombe concluded the work which he began 

 last year among the Haida and Kwakiutl. By far the most important 

 expedition of the year has been that of Assistant Curator Simms to 

 the Philippine Islands. This was made possible by the generosity of 

 Mr. R. F. Cummin gs, which is referred to elsewhere in this Report. 

 The fund subscribed by Mr. Cummings is to be used in defraying the 

 expense of exploration in the Philippine Islands for the next four or 

 five years, which shall have for its object the investigation of the 

 linguistic stocks, their physical types and the general culture of the 

 Non-Christian tribes of the Philippine Islands. Mr. Simms spent 

 five months among Igorrot tribes in northern Luzon, and is now 

 returning to Chicago, after having made an extensive collection, 

 numbering over fifteen hundred objects. Miss Laura E. Benedict 

 has also begun work in the Islands, and is at the present time conduct- 

 ing investigations among the Bagobo. In December Mr. F. C. Cole 

 of the Museum staff left for the Islands to take up systematic invest- 

 igation of the tribes, commencing with those of Luzon. It is pre- 

 dicted that from the results of these expeditions the Museum will 

 not only acquire an extensive and interesting collection of objects 

 illustrating the culture of the tribes of the Islands, but also that some 

 important contributions to the knowledge of these tribes will be made. 

 Dr. J. M. Greenman, Assistant Curator, Department of Botany, 

 passed the greater part of the months of January and February in 

 Mexico. The object of this expedition was two-fold: First, to obtain 

 additional material and a field knowledge of the Leguminosae, towards 

 the elaboration of this group in the forthcoming Flora of Yucatan ; 

 second, to study the flora of the coastal region of Vera Cruz, chiefly 

 in the so-called Tierra Caliente, in order to ascertain its relation to the 

 flora of the xerophytic regions of Yucatan. As a result of the expe- 

 dition over eleven hundred plants, including herbarium specimens and 

 formalin material, were secured. Two months were spent in Europe 

 by the Curator of Botany, in visiting and investigating the material 

 and methods of installation in as many Natural History Museums as 

 was consistent w4th the time at his disposal. During this visit the 

 following Museums and Gardens were studied: The British Museum 

 of Natural History, South Kensington, the Kensington Gardens, the 

 Botanical Gardens and Museums at Kew and the Linnean Society, 

 London; the Manchester Museum of Owens College, Manchester; 



