REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 21 



of Daughters of the American Revolution some very interesting his- 

 torical objects pertaining to colonial and Revolutionary war periods. 

 The most extensive additions to the biological collections were from 

 Puerto Rico. In the department of geology the Museum is enriched 

 by the addition of several large accessions transferred by the U. S. 

 Geological Surve3^ These objects and others of importance are men- 

 tioned more in detail in the appendix to this Report. 



The Museum continues to benefit greatly by the exchange of dupli- 

 cate specimens with foreign museums, some very valuable accessions 

 having recently been made in this way. 



It became possible several years ago to arrange for the distribution 

 of duplicates of certain classes of objects to educational establishments, 

 and the extent to which this very valuable work can be carried on is 

 limited only by lack of adequate appropriations for assistance in the 

 preparation of the specimens. The total distribution during the year 

 included 25,000 specimens, consisting mainly of marine invertebrates, 

 rocks and ores, and casts of prehistoric stone implements. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY. 



Field operations and office studies have been continued by the Bureau 

 of American Ethnology under the direction of Maj. J. W. Powell. In 

 Maine, Florida, Arizona, California, Alaska, Patagonia, and other 

 regions explorations and researches were carried on which resulted in 

 the addition of much valuable material to the National Museum collec- 

 tions, and in the partial solution of important problems concerning the 

 aborigines of America. The details of the work of the bureau are 

 fully set forth b}^ Major Powell in the appendix to this Report. 



Under special authorization of the Secretary, Mr. Holmes and Mr. 

 McGee made somewhat exhaustive researches in California, gaining 

 considerable new knowledge of the archaeology of the regions visited 

 and gathering a large number of very interesting prehistoric relics. 



At the Omaha Exposition the Bureau of Ethnology cooperated in 

 an Indian Congress that created considerable popular interest. The 

 Indians lived in houses and lodges of their own construction. A spe- 

 cial object of interest was a Wichita grass house brought from Indian 

 Territory, and afterwards transferred to Washington City. 



INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. 



The Smithsonian Exchange Service was established to facilitate the 

 interchange of scientific publications between domestic and foreign 

 institutions and societies, and of public documents between the United 

 States and foreign countries, resulting in most valuable additions to 

 the Library of Congress either directly or by the deposit of exchanges 

 received b}' the Smithsonian Institution. 



