594 GENERAL VIEAV OF ARCHEOLOGY OF THE PUEBLO REGION. 



chief of the Bureau of Forestry, Department of Agriculture. Forest 

 reserves are constantly patrolled l)y a force of forest rangers, and the 

 policy developed in the General Land Office of makhig it the duty of 

 these officials to protect ruins from despoliation is continued under 

 the Bureau of Forestry. This is all that could be desired. It may 

 be said that ruins of this class are the most fortunately situated of 

 all, for they are no longer liable to alienation by sale or entry of the 

 lands, and are adequately policed, with little or no expense for special 

 service. Large additions -will be made to this class when the pro- 

 posed Jemez, Taos, and Kio Verde forest reserves are established. 



The third class, those on Indian reservations, includes a large pro- 

 portion of the most important sites. The Office of Indian Affairs 

 fully recognizes the obligation to protect the ruins and prevent unau- 

 thorized excavation, and is. moreover, furnished with appropria- 

 tions and clothed with authority to utilize the same for th(> em- 

 ployment of such additional service as is necessary. Special cus- 

 todians are employed in districts of unusual importance, and this 

 service will doubtless be extended as need therefor is shown. It may 

 be said that all ruins that come under this class are in a position to be 

 adequately protected. 



The fourth class, those on military reservations, are not numerous, 

 and the attention of the War Department has not of late been called 

 to the necessity of protecting them. Undoubtedly this Department 

 would take the necessary steps if advised of the desirability of the 

 same, and it d()ul:)tless has facilities for effective custodianship with- 

 out providing special service therefor. 



The tifth class, those on public lands, are quite numei'oiis, but not 

 nearly so numerous as has beeti supposed. The inadequacy of all 

 general archeological measures that have been proposed heretofore, 

 so far as I have been able to determine, lies fundamentally in the 

 fact that they have not taken cognizance of the legal definition of the 

 term " public lands." The courts have held the term "' ])ubbc lands " 

 to signify the Federal lands lying open on the markel for preemp- 

 tion or homestead, and that when the Oovernment has reserveil cer- 

 tain holdings from preem})tion tliey ceased to be "public lands."" 

 Thus limited, class five will probably not include over 15 per cent of 

 all the rnins on lands owned or controlled b}^ the (ioA^ernment of the 

 United States, and on the list of important districts and sites it Avill 

 be seen that very fcAV fall within this category. These lands, with 

 everything situated thereon, are constantly being alienated by pre- 

 emption, railroad selections, and lieu selections. Furthermore, with 



"Oral opinion rendpretl by .TndSP Wellltnrn in civil snits in soutliern district 

 • if California against A. II. and L. A. T'.lassiii^anic. See also T'nitcd States v. 

 Tygh Valley Land and Live SldcU ('(iini)any (Ki Fed. Uep,, ('.'.»:'.). 



