LII BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
about as nearly in aboriginal condition as any portion of the 
ereat Eskimauan stock thus far studied. Naturally the memoir 
on land cessions deals with tribes after more or less complete 
acculturation. 
Tar Esximo Asout Brerine STRAIT 
On the acquisition of Alaska by the United States, questions 
as to the resources and capabilities of the newly acquired 
territory were agitated; and, as a natural and necessary step 
toward answering these questions, the late Spencer F. Baird, 
then secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, instituted a series 
of meteorological observations on the Alaskan coast. In carry- 
ing out the plan, Mr E. W. Nelson was stationed at St Michael 
in 1877; and his observations were continued, with brief inter- 
ruptions, until 1881, when he was made naturalist of an expe- 
dition to the northern coast of Siberia. Throughout his stay 
at St Michael and during several exploratory trips made there- 
from, and while acting as naturalist of the later expedition, 
Mr Nelson, under instructions from the Smithsonian Institution, 
availed himself of opportunities for collecting products of 
Eskimo handicraft; at the same time, under the inspiration of 
noteworthy scientific zeal, he constantly sought opportunity 
for observation and inquiry concerning the habits, customs, 
social regulations, beliefs, and ceremonies of the tribes with 
which he came in contact. After the institution of the Bureau, 
Mr Nelson was, at the instance of Secretary Baird, commis- 
sioned to extend his inquiries and collections under the auspices 
of the Bureau; through this special incentive, the product of 
his work was tateaalle increased in quantity and value. 
With the close of the expedition, the material and the records 
relating thereto were transferred to Washington, and the 
collections were duly installed in the National Museum. 
Unfortunately, failure of health prevented Mr Nelson from 
immediately elaborating his records for publication; and he 
was compelled to eae the capital and repair to the arid 
regions of southwestern United States and Mexico, where he 
slowly regained strength. His inclination and abilities led 
him to resume resez Be Ns in natural history as his restoration 
