appendix: elephant pipes and inscribed tablets. 327 



and the result is the little pamphlet I send you herewith. As one has 

 before this been forwarded to your address, it has perhaps already 

 fallen under your observation, but I send you another copy in connec- 

 tion with this communication, as it will render unnecessary any further 

 statement of facts, and will present with sufficient clearness our special 

 grievances. 



The force of this attack was very greatly augmented by the connec- 

 tion of the Bureau of Ethnology with the Smithsonian Institution, 

 and I therefore take the liberty of writing to ascertain whether this 

 paper of Mr. Henshaw's is approved and endorsed by your Institution, 

 or by yourself. In making these inquiries, perhaps I ought to say we 

 have in view a revision of our pamphlet for another edition, which will 

 probably be required in the near future, and awaiting with interest your 

 answer to these incjuiries, I remain. 



Very respectfully yours, 



Chas. E. Putnam. 



Smithsonian Institution, | 



Washington, D. C, June 4, 1885. \ 

 Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of May 31st, announcing 

 the transmission of a pamjihlet in reply to an article by Mr. Henshaw, 

 and which I had previously read with much interest. I have sent a 

 copy of your letter to Major Powell for his consideration. 



Respectfully, 



Spencer F. Baird. 

 C. E. Putnam, Esq., Davenport, Iowa. 



Davenport, Iowa, August 26, 1885. 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird, Secretary Smithsonian Institution, Jfas/iing- 



ton, D. C, — 



My Dear Sir: On the 31st of May last I took the liberty of calling 

 your attention to an article entided "Animal Carvings from Mounds 

 in the Mississip])i Valley," by Henry W. Henshaw, and ajipearing in 

 the Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology. As this paper 

 assailed the authenticity of relics in our museum, and the honesty of 

 members of our Academy, I was thereby impelled to submit for your 

 careful consideration the following inquiry: "The force of this attack 

 was very greatly augmented by the connection of the Bureau of Eth- 

 nology with the Smithsonian Institution, and I therefore take the lib- 

 erty of writing to ascertain whether this paper of Mr. Henshaw's is 

 approved and endorsed by your Institution, or by yourself." 



This inquiry, I am sure, was entirely proper. You occupy a high 

 official position in the administration of a great educational trust, and 

 it is considered that every citizen who is engaged in scientific work is 

 entitled to share in its advantages. It was therefore with surprise I re- 

 ceived and read the following laconic reply to my inquiry : 



