FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



By J. W. Powell, Director. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The prosecution of ethnological researches among the North 

 American Indians, as directed by act of Congress, was con- 

 tinued during the fiscal year 1882—83. 



The plan has been pursued, as explained in previous re- 

 ports, of employing scholars trained in the special researches 

 contemplated to conduct the necessary investigations and 

 present results for publication. In the following pages will 

 be found an account of the particular character of the work of 

 each person engaged therein, though it should be noted that 

 all of these are, at times, diverted from the special works 

 mentioned to combine their exertions for purposes regarded 

 as of immediate general importance. Some of the lines of 

 study require both prolonged compilation and exhaustive dis- 

 cussion, and delays occur by ascertained necessity for renewed 

 research on points of difficulty. Hence some of the work 

 reported, especially in the linguistic division and in that of 

 ethnic classification inseparably connected with it, though 

 nearly completed, and in some instances advanced to the ex- 

 tent of stereotyping, remains unpublished. 



The attempt to stimulate and guide research on the part of 

 collaborators not officially connected with the Bureau has also 

 been continued. Results of value have been obtained through 



