REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 51 



those collcctioiis of a scieiitidc and tecbuological character, it is desira- 

 ble to illustrate iu the JMuseum the condition of miners and their modes 

 of life. This has already been done for the anthracite coal miners of 

 rennsylvania,and the screens of photographs, instruments, and clothing 

 already on exhibition are of great interest. We hope that similar collec- 

 tions may be obtained in connection with other kinds of miners. 



The total number of specimens in the collection is estimated at 48,000, 

 of which 17,000 are on exhibition. During the year 5,500 entries, in- 

 cluding 8,552 specimens, have been made. 



BUEEAU OF ETHNOLOGY. 



The prosecution of ethnologic researches among the North American 

 Indians, under the Smithsonian Institution and in compliance with law 

 was continued during the fiscal year 1885-86 under the charge of Mnj. 

 J. W. Powell, who, as Director of the Bureau of Ethnology, has fur- 

 nished the following account of its operations: 



The account of the work for the six months ending June 30, 1885, as 

 published iu the report of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 

 for that period, being meager, for'the reasons therein stated, some por- 

 tions of the operations in the latter i^art of the year lSS4-'85 arc now 

 included to preserve continuity. 



The report may be conveniently divided into the two general heads 

 of Field Work and Office Work, the latter to a large extent being the 

 supplement to, and discussion of, the former, and executed by the same 

 jflicers who had previously obtained materials and information in the 

 aeld. 



I. FIELD -WOKK. 



This heading may be divided into : first, Mound Explorations ; second, 

 Explorations in Ancient and Modern Stone Villages ; and, third. General 

 Field Studies, embracing those in institutions, linguistics, and other 

 :livisions of anthropology. 



Moiind Explorations. — The work of the mound exploring division, 

 under the charge of Prof. Cyrus Thomas, was carried on during the 

 5rear with the same success reported for former years. 



Messrs. James D. Middleton, John P. Eogan, and John W. Emmert 

 were engaged during the year as regular assistants; Mr. Charles M. 

 Smith, Eev. S. D. Peet, and Mr. H.L. Eeynoldswere also employed for 

 short periods as temporary assistants. 



At the commencement of the year Messrs. Middleton and Emmert 

 svere at work on the mounds and ancient monuments of Southwestern 

 Wisconsin, where they remained until cold weather set in, when they 

 ^vere transferred to East Tenuessee, where Mr. Emmert continued at 

 ^ovK throughout the remainder of the vear. 



