REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOLOGY. Ill 



as profitable manuer as possible the true value of the year's collection, 

 and also to bring before the mind of the Director the great gaps that 

 have been left, a beginning is here made of the kind of report hinted at 

 above. 



The geographical concept is here made prominent, because it brings 

 us into immediate relations with the collectors. Following this, classes 

 of objects, with their functions, receive attention, especial care being 

 taken to distinguish the relation of form, «&c., to tribe, environment, and 

 material. 



ESKIMO OF GREENLAND. 



Disco Island. — Plate of whale's vertebra and bone implement found on 

 Disco Island by the Greely Kelief Expedition. 5 pieces. 



Holsteinberg. — A kyak with accouterments complete, consisting of 

 the typical Greenland skin kyak, line-rack, harpoon, harpoon-line, and 

 throwing stick (the latter having two perforations to fit in ivory hooks 

 in the shafts of the harpoon), seal-skin float, double paddle strengthened 

 with plates of ivory, short lance, halibut lance, fair-weather jacket — 

 which is simply a broad cincture of dressed seal-skin fastened around 

 the hole at the top of the kyak and under the arm-x)its of the navi- 

 gator, to keep the spray from entering the boat, and water-proof jacket 

 of sealskin worn during rough weather. 



ESKIMO OF POINT BARROW. 



One of the most valuable collections in the National Museum is that 

 which was deposited during the last year by Lieut. P. H. Ray. Inas- 

 much as an exhaustive report of this collection is now being prepared 

 by Mr. John Murdock, only a brief mention of the various classes of 

 objects will be made here. 



Adzes with stone and iron blades 21 



Boat models and parts of boats 9 



Wooden boxes and skin bags with carved ivory handles, for tackle and implements. 17 



Ivorj- box handles 25 



Stone and ivory carvinj^s 60 



Charms nsed to give success in hunting 18 



Combs for straightening the hair on deer-skin 7 



Toilet combs 3 



Food trays, cooking pots, &c 28 



Bone daggers 2 



Dolls, and other amusements for children 12 



Articles of dress 38 



Implements and weapons connected with hunting and fishing 168 



Harpoons — one of which Mr. Murdock calls a "retrieving harpoon," consisting 



of an icepick, shaft, fore-shaft, loose shaft, and point, all fastened together. 



The line is held in the hand when the whole weapon is launched. 

 Mr. Murdock distinguishes three types of the lance — the slender deer lance, the 



medium bear lance, and the broad, clumsy whale lance — none of them barbed. 



Musical instruments, drums and whistles 11 



Stone lamps $ 



