22 fOWA ACADEMY- OK SCfF,NCF;S. 



has resulted in l>riiii>iiii;- to liuht many valiuihle faets. Soni^ 

 of the discoveries there made haA'e been of so o-reat iniijort- 

 ance in aft'ecting' the views of leadini>- anthropologists as to 

 have been the source of se\'ere contention. There still exists 

 an opportunity in the Indian tribes on the reservation in 

 Tama County to study some of the details of Indian life, but 

 I am not aware that the opportunity has been improved 

 by any Iowa anthropolog-ist. Possibly tliese Indians have 

 mingled too nmch with civilization around them t() furnish 

 much of value concerning their former mode of life, and it 

 may be that the tribes are already too well known to need 

 further study. 



The great advance made of late years in all studies per- 

 taining to the past inhabitants of this continent render the 

 further investigaticm of prehistoric remains in this State not 

 only more interesting and signiticant, l)ut must render the 

 prosecution of such work and the interpri'tation of results 

 more easy, certain and reliable. 



The desire to know all we can of the past inhabitants 

 of the soil Ave occupy has in it more than idle curiosity. 

 The fact that nations were born, develoi)ed to their fullest 

 powers, grew old and died, and were replaced by others to 

 follow the same cycle on this the soil where we have estab- 

 lished in their place a higher civilization, sh(mld lead us to 

 look well to all weak points in our social and political 

 structure. The history of the Aborigines of America may 

 have its place in our educ:ition as well as the histories of the 

 dynasties oi the Old W(n-l(l. 



In the line of zoology, while 1 !iere has never l)een otHcial sii|)- 

 port or workers numerous, such |)rogrcss has been made as may 

 furnish ready foundation for tlie work of coming students. 

 As elsewhere, and from the uatin-e ol the case, more is 

 kn»)wn of the local fdidta in our State anu)ng the vei'te- 

 brates than in the lower groups ol animals. The niaminals 



