XXVI REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. 



Mr. James D. Middleton, a regular assistant from the organ- 

 ization of the mound division, was engaged during the month 

 of July, 1889, in surveying and making plats of certain ancient 

 works of Michigan and Ohio. At the end of the month he 

 resigned his position in the Bureau. 



Mr. James Mooney, although du-ectly engaged in another 

 line of research, obtained important information for the mound 

 division in reference to the localities, distribution, and charac- 

 ter of the ancient works of the Cherokees in western North 

 Cai'olina and adjoining sections. 



GENERAL FIELD STUDIES. 

 WORK OF MR. W. H. HOLMES. 



In the autumn of 1889 Mr. W. H. Holmes was du-ected to 

 take charge of the archeologic fieldwork of the Bureau. In 

 Sejitember he began excavations in the ancient bowlder quar- 

 ries on Piny branch, a tributary of Kock creek, near Washing- 

 ton. A trench was carried across the principal quany, which 

 had a width of more than 50 feet and a depth in ])laces of 

 10 feet. The ancient methods of quarrying and working the 

 bowlders were studied, and several thousand specimens were 

 collected. Work was resumed in the next spring, and five 

 additional trenches were opened across widely separated por- 

 tions of the ancient quarries. Much additional information 

 was collected, and many specimens were added to the col- 

 lection. In June work was commenced on another group of 

 ancient quarries situated north of the new Naval Observatory, 

 on the westei'n side of Rock creek. Very extensive quan-y- 

 ing and implement-making had been earned on at this place. 

 The conditions and phenomena were almost identical with 

 those of the Piny branch site. Subsequently an ancient soap- 

 stone quarry near Tenleytown was examined. The ancient 

 pitting corresponds quite closely with that of the bowlder 

 quarries, and the condition of the pits indicated equal age. 



WORK OF DR. W. ,J. HOFFMAN. 



Dr. W. J. Hoffman proceeded early in July to White Earth 

 reservation, Minnesota, to collect and study the mnemonic and 

 other records relating to the Mide'wiwin or Grand Medicine 



