THIRTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY. 



J. Walter Fewkes, Chief. 



The operations of the Bureau of American Ethnology 

 during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918, were conducted 

 in accordance with the act of Congress approved June 12, 



1917, making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of 

 the Government, which act contains the following item : 



Axnerican etlinology: For continuing ethnological researches among 

 the American Indians and the natives of Hawaii, including the 

 excavation and preservation of archeologic remains, under the 

 direction of the Smithsonian Institution, including necessary em- 

 ployees and the purchase of necessary books and periodicals, $42,000. 



The administrative affairs of the bureau prior to March 1, 



1918, were conducted by Mr. F. W. Hodge, ethnologist in 

 charge, when he resigned to accept a position in the Museum 

 of the American Indian (Heye Foundation). On that date 

 Dr. J. Walter Fewkes was appointed chief and continued the 

 administrative duties of the office to the close of the year. 



SYSTEIVIATIC RESEARCHES. 



As the American Indian is rapidlj' losing many of his 

 instructive characteristics in his amalgamation into Ameri- 

 can citizenship, new features of the future work of the 

 bureau stand out prominently pleading for investigation. 

 Among these is the urgent necessity to rescue linguistic, 

 sociological, and mythological data of aboriginal Indian life 

 before its final extinction. When data now available dis- 

 appear, unless recorded, they are lost forever. 



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