12 AinSTTJAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1940 



there was published a volume entitled "Essays in Historical Anthro- 

 pology of North America." This book, comprising 600 pages of 

 text, 16 halftone plates, and 36 text figures, contains 13 essays by 

 members of the Institution's staff, an analysis of Dr. Swanton's own 

 work by Dr. A. L. Kroeber, an introduction by Dr. Julian H. Stew- 

 ard, and a bibliography of Swanton's published contributions to an- 

 thropology. Each contributor, taking the field with which he has 

 been particularly concerned, presents a survey of the anthropology 

 of that area, stressing the historical phases of the study. As a whole, 

 the volume covers a large part of the North American Continent, 

 with, however, notable gaps such as the lower Mississippi region and 

 the Pacific coast. 



Dr. Swanton, knowing nothing of the preparation of this volume 

 of essays in his honor, was invited on May 25, 1940, to attend a meet- 

 ing of the staffs of the Institution and the Bureau of American 

 Ethnology in the regents' room. At this meeting I presented him 

 with a specially bound copy of the volume and expressed to him on 

 behalf of his colleagues our admiration of his outstanding achieve- 

 ments in the field of historical anthropology. This w^as also ex- 

 pressed in the foreword to the published volume, prepared and signed 

 by me, which reads : 



It Is a real satisfaction for the Smithsonian Institution to publish this col- 

 lection of papers in historical anthropology in honor of Dr. John R. Swanton, 

 on the occasion of his fortieth year with the Institution. Diligence, modesty, 

 and kindliness combine with great ability in his make-up, and lead all his col- 

 leagues and friends to love him, at the same time that they honor his scholarship 

 and his basic contributions to American anthropology. 



While the attractive field of deductive speculation has in the past lured 

 many American anthropologists, Swanton has been content to gather informa- 

 tion and, sifting it, to lay a foundation where others may stx;urely build. 

 Treating particularly the history of cultures and of tribal movement in the 

 Southeast since the discovery of America, Swanton's publications in this field 

 will ever be the classic sources, basic to future advances. 



WALTER RATHBONE BACON TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP 



The Walter Rathbone Bacon traveling scholarship of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution was held for a second year by Dr. Hobart M. 

 Smith. The purpose of Dr. Smith's work, as stated last year, is 

 the accumulation of specimens of reptiles and amphibians from 

 Mexico, on the basis of which a herpetology of Mexico may be com- 

 piled and the biotic provinces of the country more accurately defined. 



Collecting was continued during the year, and included the vicinity 

 of Piedras Negi-as, Guatemala, and certain parts of the Mexican 

 states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Guerrero, Michoacan, Mexico, 

 Puebla, and Hidalgo. By June 30, 1940, the collection numbered 

 approximately 17,000 specimens, and represented some 475 species. 



