REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



Explorations and Collections in Ethnology. — Duriug tlie past 

 year the eflort has been contiuued to increase the collections of ethnoloj^y 

 and archaeology of the I^orth American continent. It has been considered 

 of special importance to prosecute this subject, since the remains of 

 the ancient i)eople ^vho have inhabited this continent are everj* year be- 

 coming more rare. The mounds are disai^pearing in the process of 

 agriculture, in the construction of railways, or in the extension of cities, 

 and their interesting contents destroyed or scattered beyond the hope of • 

 future recover}'. A very extensive correspondence on this subject has 

 been kept up during the year with persons in every part of North 

 America, soliciting information and specimens, giving directions for 

 examining mounds and shell-heaps, and in several cases making a small 

 appropriation for defraying the expenses of special investigations. 



Nearly all the explorers mentioned in previous reports have contri- 

 buted valuable material in this line. During his visit to the Bay of 

 Fundy, Professor Baird, of this Institution, made extensive explorations 

 among the ancient shell-heaiis and gathered some facts and specimens 

 of much importance in connection with the subject of the American 

 Kjoekkenmoedding. In these labors he was assisted by Mr. G. A. Board- 

 man, Professor H. G. Webster, Professor Nelson, Mr. Elias Kiuny, Mr. 

 Gardner, Mr. Hallett, and also by Captain Treadway, of the United 

 States revenue service. 



As ethnology is a branch of study ^hich, at this time, is occupying 

 popular attention, it may be proper to give a more detailed account 

 than usual of the additions that have been made in this line during the 

 year which has just closed. This account is compiled from the descrip- 

 tive inventory made b^^ Dr. Foreman, under the direction of Professor 

 Baird, in a record book of the collections. For convenience of reference 

 the geographical division is adopted. 



British America, Arctic Region. — Mr. Eobert McFarlane, stationed at 

 Fort Anderson, one of the Hudson Bay Company's posts in the McKen- 

 zie Eiver district, with unabated perseverance, has continued making 

 collections in natural history and ethnology, and has presented to the 

 Institution, with a liberality which cannot be too much commended, a 

 great number and variety of articles to illustrate the character of the 

 people among whom he has so long resided. Intercourse with traders and 

 others has considerably modified their arts of life, and they now pre- 

 sent an example of a people in a state of transition from the stone to 

 the iron age. Among the articles from Mr. McFarlane, which illustrate 

 this change, are knives of pieces of iron hoops, spear-heads and fish- 

 hooks of the same material; pipe-bowls of copper and of pewter, and a 

 drilling apparatus, with an ordinary bow and drills tipped with bits of 

 steel; boxes, of which the parts are fastened together with wooden 

 nails, iron being too precious to be used for this purpose; other boxes, 

 of which the jiarts are joined in the more ancient fiishion by stretching 

 over them, in a moist condition, a casing of leather. 



