12 ANNUAL EEPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1912. 



of the stock of people from which, probably in the distant past, the 

 rudiments of the American race branched off. This work touches 

 what is rapidly becoming the most important subject of research in 

 American anthropology. The first part of Dr. Hrdlicka's visit was 

 to be devoted to the Yenisei region, in which, judging from the re- 

 ports of Russian observers, there exist remnants of very imperfectly 

 known tribes, whose physical type apparently bears a close resem- 

 blance to that of the American Indian. From the Yenisei his in- 

 tention is to pass through the Irkutsk Oblast and reach outer Mon- 

 golia, and then possibly Turkestan or China. Due to the immensity 

 of the territory and the limited time now at the disposal of Dr. 

 Hrdlicka, it is expected that the present journey will have to be 

 largely of the nature of anthropological reconnoissance and prepara- 

 tory for future investigations. 



ANTIQUITY or MAN IN EUROPE. 



A grant was made to enable Dr. Hrdlicka to make personal studies 

 of the originals of all the well-authenticated skeletal remains of geo- 

 logically ancient man of Europe. The recent discoveries in this line 

 have been of such an importance that a direct investigation into the 

 subject by an experienced anthropologist was very desirable. The 

 results of Dr. Hrdlicka's studies will be prepared for publication. 



RESEARCHES UNDER THE HODGKINS FUND. 



A limited grant has been made from the Hodgkins fund to enable 

 Mr. Anders Knutson Angstrom to make certain observations on noc- 

 turnal radiation from the earth at Bassour, Algeria, in connection 

 with observations to determine the variability of the sun, which have 

 been in progress there under Mr. Abbot, of the Smithsonian Astro- 

 physical Observatory. The results of Mr. Angstrom's researches are 

 awaited with interest. 



As mentioned in my last report, the Institution has arranged for 

 the distribution to various parts of the world of standard silver disk 

 pyrheliometers designed by Mr. Abbot, of the Astrophysical Observa- 

 tory, with a view of securing accurate data and more exact knowledge 

 of solar radiation and the influence of the terrestrial atmosphere 

 upon it. 



A portion of the income of the fund is devoted to the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge in regard to the nature and properties of at- 

 mospheric air in connection with the welfare of man. There was pub- 

 lished a few 3'ears ago a number of papers on " Expired air," " Or- 

 ganic matter in air," "The air of towns," and other phases of this 



