REPORT OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. 57 



A prominent characteristic of bis work lias been the introduction of 

 regular .seieiitifu' nu'tliods into anthropolojiical inquiries, treating each 

 savage art as the anatomist or enibiyologist treats his subject. 



The energy of Professor Mason has ah'eady produced important re- 

 sults in that the ethnological collections, never before under control, 

 have already been jirovisionaliy classitied. In the present report are 

 presented three i>apers emanating from this dei)artment — on the bas- 

 ketry, throwingsticks, and bows in the jS^ational ^luseuni — and it is 

 much to be hoped that the method of investigation and publication 

 foreshadowed in these ])apers will be i)rosecuted until the discussion of 

 the whole round of savage art as exemplified in our collections shall 

 have been completed. 



During the year 3,(558 sixH-imens belonging to primitive races have 

 been received. In addition to tliese this department has been intrusted 

 with many objects registered in other catalogues and deposited here 

 for the sake of completing evolutionary series of implements, processes, 

 and art products. The most noteworthy accessions in 1884 were as 

 follows : 



Illustrations of Eskimo and Indian life, from Ungava Bay and vi- 

 cinity, by Lucien Turner, who will prepare a monograph upon the 

 specimens. 



Illustrations of Eskimo life at Point Barrow, collected by Lieutenant 

 Ray, U. 8. A. Mr. John Murdoch will describe these. 



Rich collections fiom the Eskimo of Western and Southern Alaska, 

 by E. W. Kelson, W. J. Fisher, Charles L. McKay, and Baron Norden- 

 skjiild. 



Specimens of the arts of the tribes of Xorthwest America, collected 

 by James G. Swan and Lieut. T. Dix Bolles. 



Many objects illustrative of the modern Indians of Yucatan, by Louis 

 H. Ayme. 



A very large and instructive collection of objects from the Peruvian 

 huacas, by George W. Keffer, and Dr. William H. Jones, U. S. N. 



A collection of weapons &c., from New Guinea, purchased from A. P. 

 Goodwin. 



An exchange series of weapons from Polynesia, contributed by 

 Charles Ileape. 



During the year illustrative series of ethnological objects have been 

 exhibited at Cincinnati, Louisville, and New Orleans, care being taken 

 in eacl) case to impress some ethnological truth, such as distribution of 

 tyjies, the eftect of environment, the treatment of the same art by dif- 

 ferent tribes, or the progress of an art fronj its infancy to its highest 

 manifestation. This special collection was displayed in lliO unit boxes, 

 11 doul)le unit boxes, 'M costume boxes, and 2 slope tables. In addi- 

 tion, 1 model of an Eskimo house, 1 model of a Baida house, and 2 

 Indian busts were sent. 



