ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 43 



than the accessions of the Department of Antiquities itself, when 

 we consider that several of specimens are entered sometimes under 

 one number. Four specimens of quartz celts from near Madras, 

 India, are among the accessions from the Bureau. 



Among the most important collections made by employes of the 

 Government, in connection with their regular work under other 

 branches, and which were paid for out of the fund previously alluded 

 to, may be mentioned : 



A collection from Wm. J. Fisher, the Coast Survey tidal observer on 

 Kadiak Island, Alaska, who made several trips on the peninsula and 

 mainland. It embraces about loo specimens, the most interesting 

 being some heavy elaborate bead-work head-dresses, some of them 

 weighing as much as 2^ pounds. 



The collections made by the United States Signal Service observers 

 are as follows : 



1. One, by C. L. McKay, from in and around Bristol Bay, north 

 of the Alaska peninsula, from the Nushagag-mut and Ogulmut 

 Eskimos of that region, about 45 specimens in all, including a full 

 outfit for a Beluga whale-hunter, which was exhibited in London 

 last year. This outfit includes harpoons, lines, buoys, extra heads, 

 killing lances, etc. A second collection of about 50 or 60 speci- 

 mens, consisting of household utensils and articles of personal adorn- 

 ment, were received after the death of McKay. He was drowned in 

 April, 1883, while out in a kyak in Nushagak river in bad weather. 



2. One, by J. J. McLean, from around Sitka, which had been 

 pretty well worked up by other collectors. Besides the usual lot of 

 wooden carvings, kantags, or wooden dishes, etc., there are some 

 fine specimens of native wicker and basket work in the collection 

 (made from a species of plant. Iris tenax). 



3. A kyak, with complete fittings, from Greenland, deposited by 

 the chief signal officer of the army. (It was exhibited in London.) 



4. The Point Barrow collection, which was brought down when 

 the expedition returned recently. The collection is a good one, 

 and embraces over 700 specimens. Mr. Murdock is now working 

 up the collection, and I will not anticipate his report. Part of the 

 earlier collection which came down on the " Corwin " went to 

 London to the Fisheries Exhibit, 



5. Mr. Stejneger, of the Signal Service, made a small collection 

 from the Aleuts on Behring Island, Commander group (off the coast 



