REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOLOOV 

 IN THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 18111. 



liv Otis T. MaS(>n. ('in-alor. 



The policy adopted in the foriiicitiou of this department, to make all 

 its operations contributory to the instiuction of the people and to the 

 advancement of anthiopological science, has been steadily pursued. In 

 addition to the routine work <»f leceiving additions to the collections 

 and caring' for them, some important results have been accom])lished, 

 which will be referred to in detail. 



In August, 1890, the curator, in comi)any witli Mr. True and Dr. 

 Stejneger, commenced the preparation of a set of standard maps to be 

 used in labeling the case and specimens in the National Museum. The 

 work of this committee is now comi>leted. It will add very much to the 

 efficiency of our method of installation to have the geographical distri- 

 bution of specimens indicated. In the Dresden Museum each specimen 

 or special group is accompanied with a map indicnting the area over 

 which the species to which it belongs is spread. 



The curator attended a mei^ting of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science in August, and utilized this opiJortunity to 

 interest those ccmnected with museums and institutions in the States 

 in the methods of the National Museum, and to establish a friendly 

 relationship between these institutions and our own. The policy of 

 doing every thing to encourage the foimaiion of local socit-ties for the 

 purpose of carefully working up the arclneology and natural history of 

 small sections, has been a very cflHcient means of eidarging the national 

 collections. 



In September, 181)0, the Trcsideut of the Inited States created a 

 National Board <m Geographical Names. This Board c(nisists of repre- 

 sentatives from the several mai>-drawing departments of the (iovern- 

 ment. The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution was requested to 

 appoint one from his staft" to act in behalf of this Institution, and the 

 writer was invite*^ by hun to accept this positiou. The Board has held 

 monthly and special met^tings, and many hundreds of names printed in 

 different spellings on the charts of the Hydrographic Office, the Coast 

 Sui'vey, the Geological Surx'cy, the De]>artment of State the Light- 



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