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ETHNOLOGY. 



ETHNOLOGY. 



Crania. — Among the first of the desiderata of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, is a full series of the skulls of American Indians. 



The jealousy with -which they guard the remains of their friends 

 renders such a collection in most cases a difficult task, but there 

 are others in Avhich these objects can be procured without oftence. 

 Numerous tribes have become extinct, or have removed from their 

 former abodes ; the victims of war are often left where they fall ; and 

 the bones of the friendless and of slaves are neglected. Where, Avith- 

 out off'ence to the living, acquisitions of this kind can be made, thev 

 will be gladly received as an important contribution to our knowledge 

 of the race. 



Various methods of disposing of the dead have prevailed among 

 diff"erent tribes, as burning, burial, deposit in caves, in lodges, beneath 

 piles of stone, and in wooden sepulchres erected above-ground, pla- 

 cing on scaffolds or in canoes, and attaching to the trunks of trees. 

 In many instances the bones, after a season, are collected together 

 and brought into a common cemetery. Where the first-mentioned 

 form, that of burning, is followed, we must, of course, look to chance 

 for the preservation of the remains. This method is, however, more 

 rare than the others. 



It is requisite, for the purpose of arriving at particular results, that 

 the most positive determination be made of the nation or tribe to 

 which a skull belongs. In extensive prairie countries, hunted over or 

 traversed by various tribes, or where, as on the Pacific coast, several 

 tribes and even stocks inhabit a district of limited extent, this is often 

 difficult, or even impossible. Unless, therefore, information of a direct 

 nature is obtained, the collector should be guarded in assigning abso- 

 lute nationality to his specimens. It will be better to state accurately 

 the locality whence they are derived, and the owners or frequenters of 

 the neighborhood, to one of which they are likely to belong. Where 

 several specimens are collected, each should be numbered to corres- 

 pond with a catalogue in which the above points are mentioned ; 

 as also whether it was found in a grave or other place of deposit. 



