XXII REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. 



is presented below. This, however, does not specify in detail 

 all of the studies undertaken or services rendered by them, 

 as particular lines of research have sometimes been tempora- 

 rily suspended, in order immediately to accomplish objects 

 regarded as of paramount importance for the time. 



The present opportunity is embraced to invite again the 

 assistance of explorers, writers, and students who are not and 

 may not desire to be officially connected with this Bureau. 

 Their contributions, whether in the shape of suggestions or of 

 extended communications, will always be gratefully acknowl- 

 edged and carefully considered, and if published in whole or 

 in part, either in the series of reports, monographs, or bulletins, 

 they will receive proper credit. 



The items which form the subject of the present repoi't are 

 embraced in two principal divisions. The first relates to the 

 work prosecuted in the field, and the second to the office work, 

 which consists largely of the preparation for publication of the 

 results of the field work, complemented and extended by study 

 of the literature of the several subjects, and by correspond- 

 ence relating to them. 



It is with profound pleasui'e that attention is called to this 

 abstract of the work of the officers of the Bm-eau dming the 

 term of a single year. By long- training, by great zeal, and by 

 deep scientific insight, these gentlemen are now able to accom- 

 plish results far beyond the expectations entertained when the 

 Bureau was originally organized. The researches in this field 

 have passed beyond the elementary stage, and the significance 

 of the data being rapidly gathered becomes more and more 

 apparent. 



FIELD WORK. 



At the close of the last fiscal year the specific exploration of 

 the mound area of the United States ceased, except so far as it 

 was found necessaiy to verify surveys and supply omissions. 

 A large part of the results of this specific work, winch had been 

 continued for several past years, appears in the present volume. 

 A plan of general archeologic field work was practically initi- 

 ated by systematic explorations of the tide-water region in 



