REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 
material pertaining to the Indians. As in the past, it has been necessary for 
the bureau to make use of the Library of Congress from time to time, about 200 
volumes having been borrowed during the year. Twelve hundred books and 
approximately 650 pamphlets were received, in addition to the current numbers 
of more than 600 periodicals. Of the books and pamphlets received, 148 were 
acquired by purchase, the remainder by gift or exchange. Six hundred and 
eighty-nine volumes were bound by the Government Printing Office, payment 
therefor being made from the allotment “for printing and binding * * * 
annual reports and bulletins of the Bureau of American Ethnology, and for mis- 
cellaneous printing and binding,” authorized by the sundry civil act. This pro- 
vision has enabled the bureau, during the last two years, to bind many volumes 
almost in daily use which were threatened with destruction. The catalogue of 
the bureau now records 17,250 volumes; there are also about 12,200 pamphlets, 
and several thousand unbound periodicals. The library is constantly referred 
to by students not connected with the bureau, as well as by various officials of 
the Government service. 
PROPERTY. 
As noted in previous reports the principal property of the bureau consists of 
its library, manuscripts, and photographic negatives. In addition it possesses a 
number of cameras, phonographie machines, and ordinary apparatus and 
equipment for field work, stationery and office supplies, a moderate amount of 
office furniture, typewriters, etc., and the undistributed stock of its publications. 
The sum of $304.62 was expended for office furniture (including bookstacks at a 
cost of $205) during the fiscal year. 
RECOMMENDATIONS. 
For the purpose of extending the systematic researches of the bureau and of 
affording additional facilities for its administration, the following recommenda- 
tions are made: g 
A question having arisen in the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives as to the purpose for which an increase of $2,000 in the 
bureau's appropriation in 1909 was intended, the work of excavating and re- 
pairing antiquities existing in national parks and monuments has been cur- 
tailed. The importance of elucidating the archeological problems connected 
with these ancient remains and of repairing the more important of them for 
visitors and for future students is so apparent that the need of continuing this 
work is generally recognized, consequently an estimate of $4,000 “for the ex- 
ploration and preservation of antiquities” has been submitted for the next 
fiscal year. 
Ethnological research in Alaska is urgently needed by reason of the great 
changes taking place among the Indians and the Eskimo since the influx of 
white people a few years ago. Unless this investigation is undertaken at once 
the aboriginal inhabitants will have become so modified by contact with whites 
that knowledge of much of their primitive life will be lost. It is recommended 
that the sum of $4,500 be appropriated for this work. 
The more speedy extension of ethnological researches among the remnants 
of the Algonquian tribes formerly occupying the Middle West is desired. Ina 
number of cases these tribes are represented by only a few survivors who retain 
any knowledge of the traits, language, and customs of their people, hence it 
will be impossible to gather much of this information unless the work is ex- 
tended more rapidly, as the funds now at the bureau’s disposal for this pur- 
pose are inadequate. The additional sum of $1,000 is recommended for this 
purpose. 
