KEPOKT OF THE «ECliETAUV. 27 



The purchase (»r an additional ciiuinc will also reixler it i)()ssible io 

 provide a.uaiiist the contiii^ciK y ot total darkness in case of damag'e 

 to dynamo, line, or motor. 



By tlie appropriation of -"^a.OOO for the removal of decayed wooden 

 Hoors, and the substituting of gi-anolithic or artilicial stone pavement 

 therefor, it has been j^ossibk' to comi»lete a much needed improvement 

 in several of the halls and courts of the Museum. 



With a view of securing the best pavement possible, as well as fen- 

 the ])urpose of obtaining for future guidance a practical knowledge of 

 the merits of the artilicial stoue flooring made by <lifferent bidders, 

 three proposals which did not vary materially in amount, were accei>ted. 

 It will require a greater length of time than has yet elapsed to pro- 

 nounce upon the relative merits of these pavements, but they have 

 already proved themselves far more satisfactory than the wooden floors 

 for which they were substituted, and it is hoped that it will soon be 

 possible to put down the same, or some equally durable form of pave- 

 jiient, in the parts of the museum which still lack this improvement. 



The WorhV.s Columbian Exposition. — The work of preparing an ex- 

 hibit for the World's Fair in Chicago has been continued during the 

 year. A full report of the participation of the Smithsonian Institution 

 and the National Museum in this exhibition will be deferred until such 

 time as a complete statement can be made. 



BUEEAU OF ETHNOLOGY. 



Ethnological researches among the North American Indians have 

 been continued by the Smithsonian Institution, in compliance with 

 acts of Congress, during the year 1891-'92, under the direction of Maj. 

 J. W. Powell, who is also Directoi- of the U. S. Geological Survey. 



The work of the Bureau of Ethnology during the year has been con- 

 ducted on the same systematic plan before explained as in successful 

 operation. The authors of the i)ublications of the Bureau prepare 

 tiiem from material personally gathered by themselves in the tield, 

 which is supplemented by study of all the information attainable fiom 

 other sources. 



In addition to the issue during the year of the Seventh Annual IJe- 

 ])ort and of six other volumes of publications, mentioned under that 

 heading in the report of the Director hereunto ap[)ended, at the close 

 of the fiscal year the Eighth and Ninth Annual Keports were in tyi)e, 

 the tenth had been delivered to the Public Printer, and the eleventh 

 and twelfth were on tile ready for delivery to that (»flicial as soon as 

 there should be any ])rospect that their ])rinting could be conunenced. 

 Other rei)orts and papei's not intended to form parts of the series of 

 annual rei)orts were also hied as ready for printing. 



Another feature of the year's work consisted in the collection by 

 officers of the Bureau, under the authority of law, of erhnoh)gic objects 



