LXXXn REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



work is even more evanescent than that drawn on in the prep- 

 aration of the preceding work; but the author's studies have 

 extended over many years and a large part of western Amer- 

 ica, and he has been favored by rich contributions from corre- 

 spondents of the office. The work is fully illustrated, as is 

 necessary, since it is only by graphic presentation that definite 

 ideas concerning the multiform gestures and motions used in 

 primitive interchange of thought can be clearly expressed. 

 The monograph is approaching completion. 



lill^GUISTICS 



The languages of the American Indians have received a 

 large share of the attention of the Bureau ever since its insti- 

 tution. It has been the policy to collect texts and vocabularies 

 and material for grammars as rapidly and extensively as pos- 

 sible before the disappearance of the primitive languages 

 Only a small part of the material so collected has been pub- 

 lished; but the vaults of the Bureau are rich in data pertain- 

 ing to the languages of many tribes representing most of the 

 linguistic stocks of the American Indians. Perhaps on no 

 other continent is the linguistic diversity of the primitive 

 peoples wider than in northern America, and the dialectic 

 variability is eminently striking. The aboriginal languages 

 of this continent accordingly give an admirable opportunity 

 for the study of the facts and causes of linguistic development; 

 and from the beginning it was deemed important to collect the 

 largest possible body of material for examination and discus- 

 sion in its bearing on the general subject. Carrying out the 

 general policy, only subordinate attention has been given to 

 publication, and ])ublication has been made only in cases in 

 which the iiiaterial seemed especially typical or exceptionally 

 complete. Thus, while the amount of linguistic material pub- 

 lished is not voluminous, the manuscripts constantly accessible 

 for purposes of study are abundant — richer, it is believed, 

 than any other body of linguistic records of a ])rimitive jieople. 



Dr A. S. Gatschet devoted the entire year to linguistic work. 

 Early in the year he was employed in translating texts and in 

 extracting lexic and grammatic elements of the Peoria and 



