70 REPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 



Dr. Cyrus Thomas continued the examination of Mayan and Mexican aboriginal 

 number systems, with special reference to the Mayan and Mexican calendar systems. 

 Early in 1900 he completed a memoir on the subject, entitled "Mayan Calendar Sys- 

 tems," which was incorporated in the Nineteenth Annual Report. Later in the 

 fiscal year he continued in cognate work, making gratifying progress. One of the 

 most interesting features of aboriginal culture to the scholars of the world is the 

 series of highly developed calendaric systems extending from Mexico on the north to 

 Peru on the south; these systems reflect a knowledge of astronomy considerably less 

 advanced than that prevailing in Chaldea and Egypt at the l)eginning of written 

 history, yet sufficiently advanced to indicate the beginnings of astronomic observa- 

 tion and generalization, and thus define a stage of scientific development of which 

 the Old World record is practically lost. Accordingly Dr. Thomas's researches are 

 deemed especially valuable to scholars. 



As already noted, Mr. J. N. B. Hewitt has applied the comparative method to the 

 study of aboriginal traditions with excellent results. During the closing months of 

 the fiscal year he was occupied in revising his memoir on Iroquoian mythology, and 

 incorporating certain important data obtained during his winter trip. The material 

 is nearly ready for the press. 



DESCRIPTIVE ETHNOLOCiV. 



Except during the time spent in field work, Mr. F. W. Hodge was occupied in 

 arranging material for the Cyclopedia of Native Tribes and in editorial work. In the 

 former task he was aided during a part of the year by Dr. Cyrus Thomas, and in the 

 latter by Col. F. F. Hilder, ethnologic translator, and Mr. H. S. Wood, assistant 

 editor. Dr. Thomas finished the revision of the Cyclopedia cards pertaining to the 

 Siouan stock early in the fiscal year; accordingly this portion of the work is ready 

 for publication save for the recjuisite editorial scrutinj'. The plan for the Cyclopedia 

 has bee.i set forth in some detail in earlier reports and need not be repeated. 



COLLECTIONS. 



The collaborators engaged in field work made more or less extensive collections 

 for use in their researches, and for subsequent transfer to the National Museum; 

 and, in addition, a number of special collections were acquired. Conspicuous among 

 these was the Hudson basketry collection, from California, for which negotiations 

 were opened during the last fiscal year, though the material was received and installed 

 during the current year; it is regarded as one of the most instructive collections 

 of American aboriginal basketry extant, and its possession, in connection with the 

 very considerable colluctions of corresponding ware already in the Institution, places 

 the National INIuseum in a foremost position among the museums of the world so 

 far as opportunities for study of primitive basketry are concerned. Another note- 

 worthy collection was that of Mr. J. B. Hatcher in Patagonia, of which the final 

 portions were received during the fiscal year, together with a good series of photo- 

 graphs illustrating the uses of artifacts, the construction of habitations, etc. ; while 

 various collections of objects required to complete series, etc., were acquired by 

 purchase. Among the minor collections was an exceptionally fine one of copper 

 implements from the Lake Superior region; these implements were noteworthy in 

 that while of al)original design, the material was wrought with metal tools in such 

 wise as to show the influence of Caucasian contact; so that the collection forms an 

 instructive example of acculturation, and serves as a useful guide in the classification 

 of other copper objects in the Museum. A particularly useful series of stone imple- 

 ments, known as the Steiner collection, was also among the acquisitions of the year. 



Although collateral to the work of the Bureau, it is proper to report that Col. F. 

 F. Hilder, ethnologic translator and acting chief clerk of the Bureau, was, on Janu- 

 ary 16, 1900, detailed to the Government Board of the Pan-American Exposition, 



