XXXVIII REPORT OP THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



it was ascertained that the institutions of several tribes are 

 wonderfully elaborate and reveal the germ of higher systems 

 of social organization. Albeit unwritten, primitive law is 

 hardly less definite than that of civilized nations governed by 

 statutes, and is frequently better understood by the people. 

 The institutions are often highly complex, yet they are main- 

 tained and rendered definite by a variety of ingenious devices, 

 while custom and etiquette, which appear meaningless to the 

 casual observer, often express the experience of generations 

 and cany the force of law. The researches concerning the 

 social organization and institutions of the Indians have been 

 eminently ] iroductive. 



During the last year the work on the sociology of the Amer- 

 ican Indians was continued by Mr H. W. Henshaw. Through- 

 out the earlier months he was occupied in collecting sociologies 

 and linguistic materials among the Indians of Butte, Mendo- 

 cino, and San Diego counties, California, the records of his 

 work being duly transmitted to the office at Washington. 



It is greatly to be regretted that early in 1893 Mr Henshaw 

 was compelled by ill health to ask for indefinite leave of 

 absence. For several years he had been engaged in researches 

 relating: to the social customs and organizations of the Indian 

 tribes, and had accumulated in the Bureau archives a large 

 body of valuable information which he Avas engaged in pre- 

 paring for the press when his health began to fail, and he 

 was transferred to field work. In addition to his scientific 

 researches he had also aided constantly in the administrative 

 work of the office. While the material accumulated by his 

 years of labor remains in the office, it is not in form for imme- 

 diate publication; and both author and Bureau suffer disap- 

 pointment and loss in the interruption of the work at this 

 important stage. Ethnologic students everywhere will doubt- 

 less share the hope that Mr Henshaw's recovery and resumption 

 of scientific work may not long be delayed. 



About the middle of June Mr W J McGee entered the 

 Bureau as Ethnologist in charge, and commenced researches 

 concerning the relation of primitive arts and institutions to 

 environment. 



