ilEPOKT OF ASSISTANT SECRETAKY. 57 



year, having taken up on June 1 of the preceding year the joint explo- 

 ration arranged between the Mu.seuni and Mr. P. (i. (iate.s, wlio fur- 

 nished the equipment. This portion of the season was spent in making 

 an areheological section from Fort Apache to Molvi, about ISO mik^s 

 on a north and south line, with good results. Ethnological work was 

 done among the White Mountain Apaches, the Navahos, and Hopi, 

 After the close of the Museum-Ciates expedition, Dr. Hough mapjx'd 

 two new groups of ruins north of Holbrook, returning to AVashington 

 on September 22. During the season 00 ruins were visited and 18 

 excavated, many plans of ruins were made, and ?).(•(>(» specimens 

 collected. 



The Head Curator spent a few weeks in areheological exploratioii in 

 the Middle West. A visit was made to Kimmswick, Missouri, where 

 examinations were made of an extensive deposit of fossil mammals 

 with which human remains were said to be associated, and to an 

 ancient village site where numerous specimens of pottery and stone 

 implements were secured. Later, collections were secured from an 

 ancient chert quarry on the Peoria Indian Reservation, Indian Terri- 

 tor}^, and important explorations were made at Afton, Indian Terri- 

 tory. Reports had reached the Museum from Dr. R. H. Harper, of 

 Afton, of the occurrence of Hint implements in association with fossil 

 animals in a sulphur spring near that place. The spring w^as cleaned 

 out and about 800 very interesting implements were obtained, as well 

 as a great num])er of remains of fossil and recent animals. It was 

 determined that the fossil bones Avere connected with the original 

 deposits through which the spring rises and that the spring had been 

 made a place of sacrifice by the Indian tri])es. and various articles had 

 been cast in as offering-^s to their gods. 



The Head Curator also made a short trip into Pennsylvania, examin- 

 ing ancient soapstonc^ ipiarries near Christiana, Lancastei' (V)unty. and 

 rhyolite (piarries in South Mountain, Adams C'ounty. 



Dr. W. L. AI)bott has continued his exploration in the East Indies, 

 and has forwarded important ethnological collections from Ja\ a and 

 elsewhere. 



KESEAKCHES. 



The Head Curator continued his investigations in several branches 

 of aboriginal art, papers on potter}^ and stone implements being under 

 way. Particular attention Avas given to the completion of a paper on 

 the "Classification and arrangement of the collections of an anthro- 

 pological museum." 



Prof. O. T. Mason, Curator of the Division of Ethnology, has con- 

 tinued his investigations on aboriginal basketry, and has devoted much 

 time to the preparatk)n of an extensive work on this subject. Assist- 

 ant Curator Walter Hough was engaged largely, after his return from 



