42 REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. 



archaeological and anthropological material, and the list of donations 

 gives an account of those of less moment. The most important explora- 

 tions are those of Major Powell and Mr. E. W. kelson. 



Considering the subject geographically, we may refer, for Alaska, to 

 the labors of Messrs. Nelson and Turner ; for New Mexico, to those of 

 Messrs. Metcalfe, Stevenson, and Cushing. From the interior of the 

 United States the archaeological collections have been very many, and 

 will be found detailed in the list of donations. 



From Mexico the most important material has been furnished by the 

 National Museum of Mexico and by Professor Duges. From the former 

 have been received a very excellent model of the famous calendar-stone, 

 and numerous articles of obsidian, stone, pottery, &c. Professor Duges 

 has contributed a diminutive human face carved in iron pyrites, with 

 small opals for eyes. The collections of Professor Steere, from Brazil, 

 have already been referred to. From Europe we have a very interest- 

 ing collection of prehistoric remains, especially from France, presented 

 by Mr. Gaston L. Feuardent ; and pottery from Persia, Morocco, and 

 other countries, by Mr. George Maw, of London. 



Casts of Indian heads. — Eeference was made in the report for 1877 to a 

 series of casts, made by Mr. Clark Mills, at the joint expense of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution and the Peabody Museum at Cambridge, of the faces 

 of sixty-five Indians held as i>risoners f Wlir a t Saint Augustine, in 

 Florida, these representing quite a number of different tribes and fur- 

 nishing a very rare opportunity of securing life-like reproductions of the 

 Indian physiognomy. The Indians, as a rule, are averse to such an opera- 

 tion, and but few such casts are extant in any anthropological museum. 

 The few series distributed of duplicates of these representations have 

 been inueh appreciated. 



After the discharge of the Saint Augustine prisoners, or their trans- 



cers serving therein are solicited to contribute any Indian relics, specimens of natural 

 history, curiosities, &c, that may bo obtainable in their neighborhood, and address 

 them to Mr. Stevenson, care of chief quartermaster, district of New Mexico, sending 

 the same by any government transportation leaving their posts for Santa IV. 



Edwakd IIatcu, 

 Colonel Ninth Cavalry, Commanding. 



"Smithsonian Institution, Washington, Jul./ 7, 1879. 

 "Mr. James Stevenson, the bearer of this letter, lias been instructed by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution to visit New Mexico, Arizona, and other portions of the Southwest 

 for the purpose of prosecuting investigations in ethnology and natural history. 



"I therefore commend him to the kind attention of officers of the United States 

 Army, civilian officers of the United States Government, correspondents of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and the friends of science generally. All aid rendered him in his 

 work or contributions of specimens through him to the National Museum of the United 

 Slates, will be duly acknowledged by the Smithsonian Institution. 



" Mr. Stevenson is authorized to make use of all facilities granted to the Smithsonian 

 Institution by railroad companies and the War Department in the transportation of 

 collections made or otherwise obtained by him. 



" SPENCER P. I3AIRD, 

 "Secretary Smithsonian Institution." 



