SMITHSOiNIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. 



207 



SUGGESTIONS 



RELATIVE TO 



OBJECTS OF SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION 



IN 



RUSSIAN AMERICA. 



1 Smithsonian Institution, 



Washington, 3Iay 27th, 1867. 

 Bon. John F. Hartley, 



Ass't Sec'y of the Treasury. 

 Sir : Your letter informing us that an expedition was to be sent 

 to Russian America, and inviting suggestions as to scientific points 

 worthy of attention, has been duly received, and I beg leave to 

 enclose, in reply, the accompanying memoranda relative to 

 meteorology, ethnology, and natural history, which we should 

 be pleased to have placed in the hands of the gentlemen com- 

 posing the party. The meteorological suggestions were pre- 

 pared by myself, the ethnological by Mr. George Gibbs, and 

 those which relate to natural history by Professor Baird. 



Detailed instructions for meteorological observations, for mak- 

 ing, preparing, and packing collections of natural history, hints 

 for ethnological research, and blanks for recording vocabular- 

 ies, accompany the parcel transmitted. 



With many thanks for your courtesy in asking the co-opera- 

 tion of the Smithsonian Institution, I remain, 

 Yours respectfull)^ 



JOSEPH HENRY. 

 Secretary Smithsoinun Institution. 



