REPORT OE ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 63 



traits, useful in connection with the study of the physiognomy of the 

 nations, was given by Theodor Graf, of Vienna, Austria. 



PURCHASES. 



During the year the Museum acquired by purchase the huge archeo- 



logical collection from various European localities (11,519 specimen-). 

 and a smaller collection (7,815 specimens) of American objects, belong- 

 ing to the estate of the late Dr. Thomas Wilson. The European 

 collection covers a wide range, beginning with the roughly shaped 

 flint implements from the river gravels of England and France, and 

 ending with the more highly elaborated objects of the polished stone 

 age and the bronze age. The more important groups from Europe 

 include objects of stone, bone, pottery, and bronze from the Swiss 

 lakes; a fine series of chipped and polished stone implements from 

 Scandinavia; and pottery and bronzes from Italy. Of the American 

 series, the most notable are the large collection of stone implements, 

 etc., from Fairfax County, Virginia (the Hunter collection); two sets 

 of cache implements, one including 18 leaf-shaped blades of quart- 

 zite from Carter County, Tennessee; and 14 large spearheads of 

 quartzite from Pike County. Arkansas. 



A collection of 1 house posts and 2 totem poles was purchased from 

 Dr. George A. Dorsey for exhibition at St. Louis. The house posts, 

 hewn from yellow cedar, are very interesting specimens, and were 

 secured personally by Doctor Dorse\ T from a Tlinkit village. Each 

 pair is 10 feet in height, 2£ feet in breadth, and nearly 4 inches in 

 thickness. The posts are carved, and two of them are of especial 

 interest owing to the fact that they are painted. The totem poles rank 

 among the best examples of wood carving from the Northwest Coast. 



Owing to the widespread popular interest in basketry, a number of 

 collections were offered to the Museum, and of these 54 tine examples 

 of Nez Perce, Chemehuevi, and Maidu baskets were purchased from 

 the Fred Harvey collection, rendering more complete the large and 

 valuable series now displayed in the north-west gallery. 



A collection of 48 examples of aboriginal art from southeastern 

 Alaska, consisting of carved clubs, knives, figures, dishes, chests, and 

 embroidered blankets, was purchased from Lieut. G. T. Emmons, 

 U. S. Navy, whose long familiarity with the tribes of this region 

 enhances their value. 



The purchase of 14 specimens of crania of the Wasco Indians from 

 the Fred Harvey collection made an important addition to the division 

 of physical anthropology. 



A series of models of steamboat propellers, dating from L681 to 1825, 

 and illustrating the development of this feature of marine architecture 

 for that period, were purchased from Mr. Emil Wellauer. 



