XLVIII BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



01" else shrunk or warped so greatly as to give little indication 

 of the original form. A considerable jjart of the energies of the 

 party were expended in efforts to preserve these perishable 

 articles by various devices and the use of such materials as 

 could be obtained at points remote from civilized stores, wliile 

 Mr Sawyer was constantly employed in photographing or 

 in drawing and painting in the original colors all the more 

 perishable objects; in this way the evidence concerning the 

 prehistoric people recorded in the better-preserved portions of 

 the collection was greatly amplified and extended. 



In April the Director visited Mr Gushing and remained with 

 the party, personally inspecting and directing the work, for 

 several days. Tlie operations in Florida were brought to a 

 close in May, when the collections were carefully loaded in a 

 car and transported direct to Philadelphia, where the space and 

 facilities for unpacking were ample. Mr Gushing returned to 

 Washington, and on the arrival of the car proceeded to Phil- 

 adelphia, where he unpacked that portion of the collection re- 

 quired for immediate study. 



Mr Cushing's Florida work threw new light on the shell 

 mounds and other aboriginal works on the American coasts, 

 and it was accordingly thought desirable to reA'iew the earlier 

 and more superficial examination of these works at different 

 points along the coast. Carrying out this ])lan, the Director 

 proceeded about the middle of June to the coast of Maine, 

 which has long been known to abound in aboriginal shell 

 heaps There he was soon afterward joined by Mr Gushing, 

 and surveys and examinations of the prehistoric works were 

 under way at the close of the fiscal year. 



DESGRIPTIVE ETHNOLOGY 



As administrative duties permitted, Mr F. W. Hodge carried 

 forward the Cyclopedia of the American Indians, his field 

 work among the Pueblos in August and September yielding 

 much information concerning the relations, and especially con- 

 cerning the clan oi'ganization, of the sovithwestern Indians. 

 In February Dr Cyrus Thomas, having completed his revision 

 and extension of work on Ind-ian land treaties, was transferred 



