KEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 49 



4,000 tlie Institiitiou's committee on pj-inting suggested some modification of 

 tlie plan of the catalogue which necessitated a change in the form of the titles 

 of periodicals — about one-third of the entire list. In connection with this work 

 Doctor Thomas made supplementary examinations of works in the libraries 

 of Washington, especially the Library of Congress and the libraries of the 

 Department of Agriculture and the National Museum, and in those of Boston 

 and Worcester. He carried on also, so far as time would permit, the prepara- 

 tion of subject cross-references. 



Doctor Thomas continued to assist in the preparation of part 2 of the 

 Handbook of American Indians, furnishing a number of articles, especially 

 biographies, and assisting the editor in the reading of proofs, particularly 

 with the view of detecting omissions, lack of uniformity in names, etc. 



SPECIAL RESEARCHES. 



In addition to the systematic investigations conducted by members of the 

 bureau staff, researches of considerable importance were undertaken by col- 

 laborators of distinction. Dr. Franz Boas, honorary philologist of the bureau, 

 Iiractically completed his work on the Handbook of American Indian Languages, 

 and at the close of the year a large part of the manuscript of volume 1 had been 

 submitted to the bureau. This volume comprises an extended introduction by 

 Doctor Boas, and a number of studies of selected languages, by special students, 

 designed to illustrate the introductory discussion. With the approval of the 

 Secretary the first of these studies — the Athapascan (Hupa) — by Dr. Pliny E. 

 Goddard, was submitted to the Public Printer, with the view of having it placed 

 in type for the use of Doctor Boas in preparing other sections for the press. The 

 highly technical nature of the typesetting made this procedure necessary. Field 

 work required in completing the handbook was limited to a brief visit by Doctor 

 Boas to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania and to certain investigations 

 among the remnant of the Tutelo tribe in Ontario, conducted by Mr. Leo J. F. 

 Frachtenburg. 



Dr. Herbert E. Bolton continued his studies relating to the tribes of Texas, so 

 far as the limited time at his disposal permitted, but he was not able to submit 

 the first installment of manuscript at the close of the year, as was expected. An 

 outline of the work undertaken by Docton Bolton was presented in the last 

 annual report. 



During the year for the first time the study of native Indian music was se- 

 riously taken up by the bureau. Miss Frances Densmore was commissioned to 

 conduct certain investigations relating to the musical features of the grand 

 medicine ceremony of the Chippewa on the White Earth Reservation, Minn. 

 The phonograph was employed in recording the songs, and after the close of 

 the ceremony and visits to other Indian settlements Miss Densmore was called 

 to Washington, where she reproduced her records and engaged successfully 

 in recording songs of members of the various Indian delegations visiting the 

 capital. A preliminary report was submitted by Miss Densmore, with the 

 understanding that it is not to be printed until additional researches have been 

 made in the same and related fields. The collection of phonographic records 

 thus far obtained is extensive and the investigation promises results of excep- 

 tional interest and scientific value. 



During the year arrangements were made to accept for publication as a 

 bulletin of the bureau a report on certain explorations among the ancient 

 mounds of Missouri by Mr. Gerard Fowke. These explorations were under- 

 taken under the auspices of the Archaeological Institute of America, but form 

 an appropriate addition to the work of the bureau in this particular field. A 



