802 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVIII. No. 409. 



suit sought for M'as to gain a comprehensive 

 insight into all the ceremonies of the four 

 bands of the Pawnees and of the Arikara. 

 Of these two results as much has been 

 achieved as could be hoped for, inasmuch 

 as the work has progressed for only about 

 nine months. 



With the beginning of the first of the 

 Skidi ceremonies early next spring, it will 

 be possible to select certain of the more 

 important ones for more detailed observa- 

 tions. Thereafter each ceremony will be 

 studied independently and in detail, and 

 the observations thus made, together with 

 the ritual as sung, will be prepared for 

 publication. 



Wm. H. Holmes, Director Bureau of 

 American Ethnology, Washington, D. C. 

 For, obtaining evidence relative to the 

 early history of man in America. $2,000. 

 The phenomena to be considered are scat- 

 tered and obscure. The geological forma- 

 tions of both continents, ranging fi'om 

 Eocene to Recent, abound in various rec- 

 ords, but investigation has been in the 

 main desultory and unscientific, and the 

 isolated observations are to-day without 

 adequate correlation. 



Mr. Holmes proposed to begin his work 

 with the compilation of all data respecting 

 previous investigations, and then to begin 

 field work wliich should extend to deposits 

 in caves and caverns where men have lived, 

 and should also include their ancient sites, 

 such as kitchenmiddens, shell heaps, and 

 earthworks. 



Abstract of Beport.—The field work in 

 this investigation was done mainly by Mr. 

 Gerard Fowke, archeologist, who began 

 work in Indiana and carried his examina- 

 tions into Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee 

 and Alabama, exploiting many caves and 

 maldng careful investigation of a few. Re- 

 sults were distinctly negative with refer- 

 ence to the principal question at issue, the 

 entire season's work having developed no 



fact that will tend to establish a theory of 

 the great antiquity of man in America. 

 The season's work, however, was not a fail- 

 ure on this account, since the question is 

 one that must be solved, if not by the dis- 

 covery of positive evidence, by establishing 

 the universality of negative evidence. 



Late in the season explorations were be- 

 gun on the Atlantic slope by Mr. F. B. Mc- 

 Guire, archeologist, in the eaves of the 

 upper Potomac in West Virginia. Mr. 

 Holmes personally made a reconnaissance 

 in Georgia and Alabama for the purpose of 

 collecting definite information regarding 

 the eaves of the south. 



With the aid of Mr. F. B. McGuire and 

 Dr. J. W. Fewkes, a cave in Porto Rico 

 was explored without expense to the Insti- 

 tution. The present repoi-t can be re- 

 garded as only one of progress, since Dr. 

 Fewkes and Mr. MeGuire are still in the 

 field. 



George F. Kunz, New York City. To 

 investigate the precious stones and min- 

 erals used in ancient Babylonia, in con- 

 nection ivith the investigation of Mr. 

 William Hayes Ward. $500. 

 Abstract of Report. — This is an investi- 

 gation in cooperation with that of Mr. Wil- 

 liam Hayes Ward. It was deferred until 

 winter in order to secure the cooperation 

 of Mr. Ward after his return from his 

 investigations in Europe. 



William Hayes Waed, New York City. 

 For study of oriental art recorded on 

 seals, etc., from western Asia. $1,500. 

 Dr. Ward has been for fifteen years de- 

 voting his spare time to oriental archeology, 

 with special reference to the beginnings of 

 art and mythology, as shown in recovered 

 monuments and especially in the seal 

 cylinders, which preserve a large part of 

 the early art. He has handled thousands 

 of seals and has paper impressions of thou- 

 sands. The investigation covers a period 



