REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 39 



colonies, the choicest of the exhibits of thirty-four were presented to 

 the Smithsonian Institution for the National Museum, the remainder 

 either having nothing to give or being restricted in the disposal of 

 their articles. 



It was, however, not from foreign commissions alone that collections 

 were received by the Institution. Several entire State exhibits, and 

 many belonging to private parties were also added to the general in- 

 crease. Nevada, Montana, and Utah presented the whole of their 

 mineral exhibits, while partial collections were received from several 

 other States and Territories. 



Of the general collections received during the year, the most note- 

 worthy are the zoological specimens brought together by Lieut. George 

 M. Wheeler, during his recent survey, and turned over by him to the 

 museum in accordance with the law of Congress. 



Engineer William A. Mintzer, of the United States Navy, also con- 

 tributed a number of packages, containing collections of natural history 

 and ethnology from Arctic America, collected by him while engaged in 

 mining isinglass on Admiralty Island, north of Hudson's Straits. 



The general ethnological collections obtained during the year (prin- 

 cipally as the result of expenditure from the centennial fund of the 

 Indian Bureau) are of very great extent. Among the most impor- 

 tant may be mentioned those of Mr. James G. Swan,. from Vancouver 

 Island, Alaska, and Washington Territory, illustrating the habits of the 

 highly ingenious Northwestern Indians, the more conspicuous of these 

 being the front of an Indian house, a number of carved wooden columns 

 for ornamental purposes, some of them 30 feet long and S wide, carved 

 from a single log and properly ornamented, and a dug out canoe, 60 feet 

 feet long and eight wide. 



Mr. Paul Schumacher, in continuing his arcbaBological labors on the 

 south coast of California, made many important acquisitions, adding 

 materially to the variety he had previously gathered. Some additional 

 objects of interest were also received from Kev. Stephen Bowers, of 

 Santa Barbara. Dr. W. W. Hays, of San Luis Obispo, formerly con- 

 nected with the Smithsonian Institution, also presented a large number 

 of objects, while additional collections were also received from Mr. Ste- 

 phen Powers, principally' of illustrations of the life and customs of the 

 Indians of Nevada and California. 



The parties sent out by Major Powell, at the request of the Indian 

 Bureau, to make collections illustrative of the Indians of New Mexico, 

 especially of the Moquis, obtained an extensive collection, including 

 pottery both ancient and recent, stone implements, dresses, &c. 



One of the most interesting and important additions to the ethnolog- 

 ical collection consisted of carvings of bone and stone implements, con- 

 tributed by Mr. Lucien M. Turner, United States signal observer at 

 Saint Michael's, on Norton's Sound, south of Behring's Straits. This 

 series, in the number of pieces and variety of shape, the character of 



