DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOLOGY. 285 



Another series was made to teach the lesson of geographical distri- 

 bution. For instance, tliree hundred arrows were so mounted and 

 labeled as to help the visitor to trace the effect of environment on the 

 arrow. In the same way were treated other implements. At Marietta 

 another lesson entirely was taught. Here the object was to make the 

 ethnic concept supreme. The Makah Indians, living at the northwest 

 corner of Washington, were selected, and specimens of their handiwork 

 so arranged as to show their homes, dress, handicrafts, arts, social life, 

 and religion. The life history of a single group was made manifest. 



The curator has during the year, at the request of the Director of the 

 Museum, made three tours of inspection, to examine the Valentine col- 

 lection in Richmond, the Western Reserve collection in Cleveland, and 

 to study the public and private museums in the vicinity of Boston. 



The first named is an enormous private gallery in the vicinity of 

 Richmond illustrating the aboriginal life on the James River. It is 

 worthy of a more public installation. In the same collection are about 

 one thousand articles from North Carolina made in soft micaceous mate- 

 rial absolutely sui r/eneris. The curator was greatly interested in the 

 ingenuity manifested in the design and fabrication of these pieces. 



The Western Reserve collection at Cleveland is located in the upper 

 story of a building, and should be more attractively exhibited. There 

 are in this hall many pieces of great value. It is especially rich in the 

 archaeology of Ohio. 



The Peabody Museum at Cambridge exhibits in every room the 

 training in anatomy of its two distinguished curators. If we omit the 

 National Museum, there is no other place in our country where archae- 

 ology is more richly illustrated. In the shell heaps of the whole 

 Atlantic coast, the palaeolithic relics of New Jersey, the results of care- 

 ful dissection of mounds and graves in the Ohio drainage, this museum 

 leaves little to lie desired and presents a great deal worthy of im- 

 itation. 



From these tours of inspection the curator returns impressed with 

 the great service which may be rendered to science by the co-operation 

 of great museums and by friendly assistance rendered to local collec- 

 tions, and woidd recommend the preparation of a directory of anthro- 

 pological ami archaeological resources in America. 



In lieu of costly expenditures for the purpose of collecting, the cura- 

 tor has found it convenient to have in various out-of-the-way places 

 local agents and referees, from whom, by patient questioning and care- 

 lid collecting, he lias been able to gather material under circumstances 

 which confer great value upon it. In this way a cradle, a bow and ar- 

 row, a weaving-Stick, a fire-drill, and so forth, may be followed up until 

 the student has received complete information from reliable source. 

 Especial mention may be here made of Col. .1. I. Allen, Montana; 

 Charles Willoughby, Quinaiell ; -I. (1. Swan, I'o.t Townsend, Wash- 

 ington; L. Frost, aud N.J. Purcell, California j Lieut, T, Dix Holies, 



