14 ANNUAL REPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 31 



The department of anthropology received additional ethnological 

 material from Alaska resulting from the explorations of Dr. Ales 

 Hrdlicka and H. B. Collins, jr., giving the Museum the most 

 complete collection in existence of the ancient ivory culture of the 

 Bering Sea region. About 5,000 specimens illustrating the life of the 

 American Indian were received as a bequest from the late Victor J. 

 Evans, of Washington. Further material representing the native 

 tribes of West Africa was given by C. C. Roberts. 



The most important accession in the department of biology was 

 the Barnes collection of Lepidoptera, purchased by a special appro- 

 priation of $50,000 to the Department of Agriculture and transferred 

 to the Museum. Additional material has been received as a result 

 of the field activities of Dr. David C. Graham in China and of Dr. 

 Hugh M. Smith in Siain. Dr. H. C. Kellers obtained large collec- 

 tions of material for the Museum from the island of Niuafoou in the 

 Pacific. A large collection of birds, mammals, reptiles, and plants 

 obtained by E. G. Holt on an expedition to the boundary region be- 

 tween Venezuela and Brazil was presented by the National Geo- 

 graphic Society. 



Thirty-two species of minerals new to the collection were received 

 by the department of geology, chiefly by purchase through the 

 Roebling fund. Other interesting accessions included a large mass 

 of native silver and calcite estimated to contain 220 pounds of pure 

 silver; a vertebra of an extinct reptile, which has fossilized into opal; 

 and a green tourmaline weighing 17.9 carats, purchased through the 

 Chamberlain fund. Many valuable fossil specimens were added dur- 

 ing the year, particularly through the explorations of C. W. Gilmore 

 and Dr. J. W. Gidley. 



In the arts and industries department one of the most interesting 

 accessions was the airplane Bremen^ the first heavier-than-air craft 

 to make the east-west nonstop flight across the North Atlantic. This 

 was deposited by the New York Museum of Science and Industry. 

 Of especial interest also was a model showing a section of the Cono- 

 wingo hydroelectric generating station, presented by the Philadelphia 

 Electric Co. The division of graphic arts received a miniature book. 

 The Gospel of St. Matthew, printed in 2V2-point type, the smallest 

 type ever cast. Among the especially interesting accessions in the 

 division of history were a chair owned by Benjamin Franklin, a 

 chair belonging to President James Madison, and a mahogany screen 

 owned by George Washington. 



In search of specimens and information needed in the progress of 

 the scientific investigations carried on by the Museum many expedi- 

 tions were in the field during the year, financed either by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution or by contributions from interested friends. The 



