132 ANNUAL, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



interested Chinese the spirit and purpose of the expedition, to estab- 

 lish among them a feeling of confidence in its integrity and ability, 

 and to organize a self-sustaining archeological society of native 

 scholars which should have the official sanction and support of the 

 Chinese Government in all its undertakings. These delicate and 

 difficult tasks Mr. Bishop has prosecuted with an extraordinary 

 degree of skill and success. The archeological society, with head- 

 quarters in Peking and a membership composed of the most influen- 

 tial scholars and Government officials, has already made ari'ange- 

 ments with the authorities for the expedition to undertake the exca- 

 vation of two highly important sites, on the understanding that 

 while the records and reports of the operations shall be at its disposal 

 the material " finds " shall be equally divided between the Chinese 

 Government and the expedition. 



Mr. Bishop also has been fortunate enough to acquire for the 

 expedition several fine examples of Chinese art, but it is his success 

 in establishing for the first time a truly cooperative relationship 

 between Chinese and American archeologists which must be thought 

 to justify the expedition, even had it accomplished nothing else. 



Biological expedition to China. — Through the continued generos- 

 ity of Dr. "William L. Abbott, of Philadelphia, an expedition to the 

 Yangtze Valley, in China, was arranged for the purpose of obtain- 

 ing specimens of vertebrates peculiar to that locality, and Mr. 

 Charles M. Hoy, who had previously explored in the central China 

 region, left the United States for this purpose in December, 1922. 

 I greatly regret to report that in September, 1923, Mr. Hoy was 

 seized with an acute attack of appendicitis and that his death oc- 

 curred on the 6th of that month. This is a serious loss to the Mu- 

 seum, but, thanks to Doctor Abbott, arrangements have been made 

 to turn Mr. Hoy's collecting and field outfit over to the Rev. D. C. 

 Graham, of Suifu, from whom several valuable sendings have been 

 received, and who is contemplating extensive excursions into the 

 more interesting and little known parts of Szechwan. 



Doctor Abbott's generosity has been frequently called to the atten- 

 tion of the board, large contributions having been made by him for 

 the expeditions to Borneo, Celibes, Australia, and the present ones 

 in China, in addition to which he has given largely from the results 

 of his personal efforts in Haiti and elsewhere. 



Alberta and Bmtish Columbia. — During the summer and fall of 

 1923, the secretary of the Institution carried on geological field work 

 in the Canadian Rockies in this region. This work was in continua- 

 tion of the operations of the previous year in the main range and the 

 western minor ranges that form the great eastern wall of the Colum- 

 bia River Valley from Golden southward to Kootenay River. 



The season was favorable for geological work, and a large supply 

 of material was secured which will be studied later. 



