68 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1930 



At the suggestion of Senator Carl Hayden, Mr. Neil M. Judd, 

 curator of archeology in the United States National Museum, made 

 a brief reconnaissance in September, 1929, for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the most practicable method of surveying, at this late date, 

 the prehistoric canal systems of the Gila and Salt River Valleys, 

 Ariz. Most of the ancient canals had been obliterated through agri- 

 cultural practices; others were threatened with early destruction 

 under the program of the Coolidge Dam project. Following his 

 preliminary investigation, he recommended an aerial survey as the 

 only feasible means whereby the former aboriginal canal systems 

 could be located and mapped for permanent record. 



Since haste was a prime factor, in view of the extensive grading 

 operations within the Pima Indian Reservation, the War Depart- 

 ment generously came to the aid of the Smithsonian Institution by 

 providing an observation plane and personnel. Mr. Judd left Wash- 

 ington January 12, 1930, and proceeded to Phoenix, Ariz., by way 

 of Tucson and Sacaton. Unfavorable flying conditions served to 

 delay inauguration of the survey. Ground haze in the early morn- 

 ing and smoke in the afternoon obscured the ground except for a 

 2-hour period at mid-day. Lieut. Edwin Bobzien, pilot, and Sergt. 

 R. A. Stockwell, photographer, both from Crissj^ Field, the Presidio, 

 San Francisco, pursued their assigned tasks as rapidly as possible. 

 They made approximately 700 exposures, of which half were vertical 

 photographs taken from an altitude of 10,000 feet. These have 

 since been assembled into mosaic maps. As was anticipated, the 

 aerial survey disclosed numerous prehistoric canals not visible from 

 the ground, Witli the mosaic maps in hand these ancient canals 

 must now be examined individually and their locations identified 

 with reference to nearby section lines. This task properly should 

 be done during the late autumn or winter months and within the next 

 few years. 



Without the personal interest of Senator Hayden and the cooper- 

 ation of the War Department, the Smithsonian Institution would 

 have found it impossible to undertake the aerial survey above 

 mentioned. 



In late November, 1929, and again in early May, 1930, Mr. Judd 

 made brief visits to Charlottesville, Va., there to advise with Mr. 

 D. I. Bushnell, jr., in those investigations of nearby Indian village 

 sites he is pursuing in behalf of the bureau. 



EDITORIAL WORK AND PUBLICATIONS 



The editing of the publications of the bureau was continued 

 through the year by Mr. Stanley Searles, editor, assisted by Mrs. 

 Frances S. Nichols, editorial assistant. The status of the publica- 

 tions is presented in the following summary. 



