KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 31 



bodying at the same time a recast of tlie generalizations. The work 

 was accordingly placed under the supervision of Mr. Sehott, as- 

 sisted bj" Mr. E. H. Courtenay, of the Coast Survey, and completed 

 during the year. Arrangements were immediately made for publica- 

 tion, including the construction of new base charts. The printing of the 

 charts has been completed by Mr. Julius Bien and the text is in an ad- 

 vanced stage of preparation, and will probably be ready in a few months. 



Among the important papers still on hand which have been accepted 

 and are awaiting publication are the continuation of Professor Caswell's 

 meteorological observations, of Providence, and the observations made 

 by Mr. Sherman, while on board the schooner Florence as a member of 

 Captain Howgate's polar expedition. 



The observations of Mr. Sherman present many new points in the 

 climatology and x)hysical condition of the arctic regions, and will be a 

 valuable addition to the other papers of a similar character published 

 by the Institution, as illustrating the works of Hayes, Kane, McClintock, 

 and others. The delay in the publication of these works is due to the 

 large amount of material on hand. It is hoped, however, that in the 

 course of a year they may be sent to press. 



ArclKcologij. — Reference has been made in previous rejiorts to an ex- 

 tremely interesting collection of West Indian antiquities, probably of 

 Carib manufacture, presented by the late Mr. George Latimer to the 

 National Museum. This collection embraced many new forms of much 

 interest. The stone implements of this collection possessed many peculi- 

 arities, for the most part not illustrated at all by those of the continent of 

 North America ; and a memoir by Prof. O. T. Mason, published in the An- 

 nual Peport in 187G, illustrated by suitable wood-cuts, has attracted great 

 attention at home and abroad. Its dissemination has brought to light 

 additional collections in the West India Islands, and arrangements have 

 been made to obtain the use of some of these for publication. 



Mr. Frederick A. Ober brought from Antigua a number of inter- 

 esting objects, quite different from those of Mr. Latimer ; and Mr. 

 Guesde, of Guadaloupe, has communicated to the Institution a large num- 

 ber of beautifully-executed drawings of full-sized specimens in his collec- 

 tion, accompanied by detailed descriptions. Professor Mason has un- 

 dertaken to compile a special memoir on Mr. Guesde's collection, to be 

 illustrated by his drawings and published at an early date. 



The publication by the Smithsonian Institution, many years ago, of a 

 memoir by Mr. Lewis H. Morgan, ujiou the terms of relationship and con- 

 sanguinity employed by various nations of the world, led to the establish- 

 ment of almost a new branch of philological and ethnological investiga- 

 tion ; or at least placed it upon a substantial footing. At the time of the 

 publication of the memoir there were few persons i)repared to follow the 

 reasoning of the author ; but under its stimulus corresponding researches 

 have been carried on in various parts of the world and have produced 

 very good fruit. 



