REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 55 



peusatecl for by the opportimity to purchase new material which will 

 remaiu permauently the property of the Government and increase the 

 usefulness of the governmental Museum work. 



BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. 



Ethnologic researches among the North American Indians were con- 

 tinued, under the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in compli- 

 ance with acts of Congress, during the year 1888-80. Maj. J. W. Pow- 

 ell, as director of the work, has furnished the following account of 

 operations: 



A report upon the work of the year is most conveniently given under 

 two general heads, viz., field work and office work; 



FIELD WORK. 



The field work of the year is divided into (I) mound explorations 

 and (2) general field studies, the latter being directed chiefly to arch- 

 aeology, linguistics, and pictography. 



Mound explorations. — The work of exploring the mounds of the east- 

 ern United States was, as in former years, under the superintendence 

 of Prof. Cyrus Thomas. The efforts of the division were chiefly con- 

 fined to the examination of material already collected, and to the ar- 

 rangement and preparation for publication of the data in hand. Field 

 work received much less attention, therefore, than in previous years, 

 and was mainly directed to such investigations as were necessary to 

 elucidate doubtful points, and to the examination and surveys of im- 

 portant works which had not before received adequate attention. 



The only assistants whose engagements embraced the entire year 

 were Mr. James D. Middleton and Mr. Henry L, Reynolds. Mr. Gerard 

 Fowke, one of the regular assistants, closed his connection with the 

 division at the end of the second month. Mr. John W. Emmert was 

 engaged as a temi)orary assistant for a few months. 



During the short time he remained with the division, Mr. Fowke was 

 engaged in exploring certain mounds in the Scioto Valley, Ohio, a field 

 to which Messrs. Squier and Davis had devoted much attention. The 

 re-examination of this field was for the purpose of investigating certain 

 typical mounds which had not been thoroughly examined by those 

 explorers. 



Mr. Middleton was employed from July to the latter part of October 

 in the exploration of mounds and other ancient works in Calhoun 

 County, 111., a territory to which special interest attaches because it 

 seems to be on the border line of different archiBologic districts. From 

 October until some time in December he was engaged at Washington 

 in preparing plats of Ohio earth-works. During the next month he 

 made resurveys of some of the more im[)ortant inclosures in Ohio, after 

 ■which be continued work in the oflice at Washington until the latter 



