32 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



ogy, and for niiscellarieous printing and binding," author- 

 ized by the sundry civil act. This provision has enabled 

 the bureau, during the last two years, to bind many vol- 

 umes in almost daily use which were threatened with de- 

 struction. The catalogue of the bureau now records 17,250 

 volumes ; there are also about 12,200 pamphlets, and sev- 

 eral thousand unbound periodicals. The library is con- 

 stantly referred to by students not connected with the 

 bureau, as well as by various officials of the GovernuK.'nt 

 service. 



PROPERTY 



As noted in previous reports, the principal property of 

 the bureau consists of its library, manuscripts, and photo- 

 graphic negatives. In addition, it possesses a number of 

 cameras, phonographic machines, and ordinary apparatus 

 and equipment for field work, stationery and office sup- 

 plies, a moderate amount of office furniture, t^q^ewriters, 

 etc., and the undistributed stock of its publications. The 

 sum of $304.62 was expended for office furniture (includ- 

 ing bookstacks at a cost of $205) during the fiscal year. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



For the purpose of extending the systematic researches 

 of the bureau and of affording additional facilities for its 

 administration, the following recommendations are made : 



A question having arisen in tlie Committee on Apj^ro- 

 priations of the House of Representatives as to the purpose 

 for which an increase of $2,000 in the bureau's appro]>ria- 

 tion in 1909 was intended, the work of excavating and re- 

 pairing antiquities existing in national parks and monu- 

 ments has been curtailed. The importance of elucidating 

 the archeological problems connected with these ancient 

 remains and of repairing the more important of them for 

 visitors and for future students is so apparent tliat the 

 need of continuing this work is generally recognized ; con- 

 sequently an estimate of $4,000 " for the exploration and 

 preservation of antiquities" has been submitted for the 

 next fiscal year. 



