90 Editorial Miscellany. 



The museum was opened in 1828, and has, since 1841, published its 

 proceedings in an interesting and valuable series. One of the most 

 important features of this museum, is the splendid collection of human 

 Crania, begun by the late Dr. S. G. Morton, and said to be the finest 

 in existence. This collection, increased by various subsequent addi- 

 tions, now contains upward of 1,300 specimens, including many of 

 great rarity and value. Among the more ancient races represented, 

 are the Phojnician, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Hindoo, Peruvian of 

 the Inca race, ancient Peruvian, Aztec, Otomie, Pames, Chichimec, 

 Hispano-Mexican, etc. ; besides a full collection of specimens of the 

 early and more recent tribes of Indians of the United States and 

 Canadas, Caribs and Brazilians. In the collection of mummies are 

 many specimens of Egyptian art ; also, two natural mummies, or 

 desiccated bodies, from the arid salt-desert of Atacama, lying between 

 Peru and Chili, supposed, by Dr. Morton, to be representatives of the 

 long extinct race whose profiles are sometimes figured in Centra 

 American sculpture. Perhaps no collection in the world affords the 

 ethnologist so good an opportunity for comparative study. 



American ARCHiEOLOGY. — It is the desire and purpose of the edi- 

 tors,, in response to a general and increasing mterest in the subject, to 

 devote more attention than hitherto, to the inquiry concerning the 

 ethnical history of the pre-historic races of this country, as a legit- 

 imate and important branch of scientific investigation. In this view, 

 communications from investigators, containing new and interesting 

 matter, will be given due space and consideration. It is highly impor- 

 tant, however, that the facts should be presented with accuracy and 

 detail. The subject has been already sufficiently embarrassed by 

 speculations founded upon inaccurate or insufficient observations ; and 

 phlogistic theorizing must give place to experimental methods, ere we 

 can hope to advance our knowledge in the true direction. 



While, therefore, soliciting information from our readers and cor- 

 respondents who have given the subject attention, we would impress 

 upon them the importance of holding the imagination in check until 

 all the /acts have been properly exhausted. It often happens, in prac- 

 tical investigations of this nature, that the result is rendered in a 

 measure valueless, by the ommission to note fully the circumstances 

 under which a given examination is made, or the precise relation of 

 objects recovered to surrounding conditions. For the same reason, 

 the student, who seeks knowledge by a comparative study of remains 

 gathered in museums, is often embarrassed, and his labor rendered 

 vain, by the absence of similar information. 



