LII BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



was not required. The researches concerning zooculture serve 

 to define a stage antecedent to domestication, as that term is 

 commonly employed, in which the relations between men and 

 animals are collective rather than individual, and in wliicli the 

 men and animals become mutvially tolerant and mutually bene- 

 ficial, as when the coyote serves as a scavenger and gives 

 warning, in his own cowardly retreat, of the apj^roach of ene- 

 mies. Later, such of the tolerated animals as are thereby 

 made more beneficial are gradually brought into domestication, 

 as was the coyote-dog among many Indian tribes, the turkey 

 among some, and the reindeer among certain Eskimo. The 

 researches concerning the development of human motive are 

 involved in the study of primitive law, and indicate that regu- 

 lations concerning conduct are framed by the elders in the 

 interest of harmony and collective benefit, and that these regu- 

 lations are enforced until their observance becomes habitual, 

 when the habit in turn grows into motive. In some other direc- 

 tions, also, substantial progress has been made in the study of 

 the organizations and institutions of the American Indians. 



LINGUISTICS 



During a considerable part of the year the Director has been 

 occupied in researches concerning several characteristics of the 

 American Indians, with the view of developing a system of 

 classification so complete as to indicate not only the affinities 

 of tribes and stocks among each other, but the general aflinities 

 of the native American people and their position among the 

 races of men as well as among other .living organisms. In the 

 course of this work much thought has been given to the sub- 

 ject of Indian language, and the rich collections of linguistic 

 material in the archives of the Bureau have been scanned anew. 

 It was the immediate purpose of this study to trace the devel- 

 opment of various languages in such manner as to educe the 

 laws of linguistic evolution. Satisfactory progress was made, 

 and a considerable body of manuscript was prepared, while a 

 preliminary publication was presented during the year in the 

 form of an address titled "The Relation between Institutions 

 and Environment", delivered in the United States National 



