LIV ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



are facilitated by the suggestions derived from the author's 

 precursory experiences. The present paper carries out that 

 plan. All other intentions are subordinated in order to explain 

 the characteristics of pictographs, to classify them conveniently, 

 and to offer suggestions for the collection, description, and study 

 of specimens. Theories are postponed until after careful ex- 

 amination of exhaustive collections. 



For this purpose the author has first stated the distribu- 

 tion in North America of pictures on rocks, either painted or 

 incised or both, with a few illustrative comparisons from for- 

 eign countries He has then enumerated the instrument.' used 

 at different times in pictography, together with the coloring 

 matters employed and the methods of application. The ma- 

 terials upon which pictographs are made are discussed, the 

 objects being divided into natural and artificial. The first 

 division includes many objects, consisting chiefly of stone, 

 bone, living trees, wood, bark, skins, feathers, gourds, horse 

 hair, shells, earth, and sand, and the human person. Designs 

 upon the human person are in paint and by tattooing. Under 

 this head much information is presented for the first time, and 

 it is compared with some recently published accounts of the 

 process in the Pacific Islands. 



The subject is then considered with reference to the special 

 purposes for which pictography has, in fact, been employed 

 by the North American Indians. They are: 1st, Mnemonic, 

 embracing order of songs, traditions, treaties, war, and time; 

 2d, Notification, comprising notice of departure and direction, 

 of condition, warning, and guidance, geographic features, 

 claim or demand, messages and communications, and record of 

 expeditions; 3d, Totemic : this embraces tribal, gentile, clan 

 and personal designations, insignia, and tokens of authority, 

 personal names, property marks, status of individuals, and 

 signs of particular achievements; 4th, Religious, comprising 

 mythic personages, shamanism, dances and ceremonies, mortu- 

 ary practices, grave posts, charms, and fetiches; 5th, Cus- 

 toms and habits, requiring details rather than classification: 

 6th, Tribal history ; 7th, Biographic, in which are examples 



