TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 
OF THE 
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
W. H. Hotmes, Curer 
SYSTEMATIC RESEARCHES 
The operations of the Bureau of American Ethnology, con- 
ducted in accordance with the act of Congress making pro- 
vision for continuing researches relating to the American 
Indians, under direction of the Smithsonian Institution, have 
been carried forward in conformity with the plan of opera- 
tions approved by the Secretary July 19, 1906. 
Systematic ethnologic researches have been prosecuted by 
the scientific staff of the Bureau, assisted by a number of 
collaborators who have been invited to conduct investiga- 
tions for which they are especially qualified. The Bureau’s 
scientific staff is restricted to a small number of investigators 
whose field of labor is necessarily limited, and it has always 
been the policy of the Bureau to widen its scope by enlisting 
the aid of specialists in various important branches. While 
thus seeking to cover in the fullest possible manner the whole 
field of American ethnology, it has sought with particular 
care to pursue only such branches of research as are not 
adequately provided for by other agencies, public or private. 
The result sought by the Bureau is the completion of a sys- 
tematic and well-rounded record of the tribes before the 
ever-accelerating march of change shall have robbed them 
of their aboriginal characteristics and culture. 
During the year researches have been carried on in New 
Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, 
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