LXXXIV BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
both in. print and in manuscript. His marvelous aptitude in 
discriminating, grasping, and retaining sounds enabled him to 
obtain accurate vocabularies and texts with great ease, and to 
detect differences of meaning and function through differences 
of sound. His freedom from subjective theories, his deep 
erudition, and enlightened conservatism made him one of the 
foremost authorities in American linguistics. 
In addition to numerous essays dealing with the linguistic 
and other anthropologie matters which appeared from time 
to time in various periodicals, Mr Dorsey published, under 
the auspices of the Bureau of Ethnology, the following excel- 
lent and suggestive memoirs: ‘““Omaha Sociology,” “Osage 
Traditions,” “A Study of Siouan Cults,” “Omaha Dwellings, 
Furniture, and Implements;” “Omaha and Ponka Letters,” 
and ‘The (legiha Language, with Myths, Stories, and Let- 
ters.” He also edited the ‘“Dakota-English Dictionary,” and 
“Dakota Grammar, Texts, and Ethnography” of the late Rey- 
erend 8. R. Riggs, forming, respectively, volumes vi and Ix of 
Contributions to North American Ethnology. At the time of 
his death he had practically completed the paper on ‘“Siouan 
Sociology,” published in the Fifteenth Annual Report. Among 
the papers and articles of marked importance published in 
extra-governmental media may be mentioned ‘Migrations of 
Siouan Tribes,” “Comparative Phonology of Four Siouan Lan- 
guages,” “An Account of the War Customs of the Osages,” 
“Mourning and War Customs of the Kansas,” ‘Teton Folk- 
lore,” “Camping Circles of Siouan Tribes,” ‘Places of Gentes 
in Siouan Camping Circles,” ‘Games of Teton Dakota Chil- 
dren,” and ‘‘Siouan Onomatopes.” 
By reason of the purity and unselfishness of his motives, 
and the warmth and sunshine of his amiable nature, he won 
the esteem of all who had the pleasure of meeting him, and, 
being ever kind, affable, and cheerful to his colleagues, ever 
willing to aid and advise them, James Owen Dorsey was sin- 
cerely and cordially loved and revered by all. 
