REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 



In conuection with his work on this subject, Mr. Mooney completed during the 

 year a memoir on the Kiowa calendar svstem, which has been incorporated in the 

 seventeenth annual reporb. This memoir is deemed noteworthy as a remarkably 

 exhaustive rendering of what may be called the autobiographic history of an 

 important tribe. 



In his comparative studies of the Seri, Papago, and other tribes, Mr. McGee was 

 led to consider the course of development of myth or of the explanation of phe- 

 nomena in terms of the supernatural. It is significant that, so far as can be ascer- 

 tained, supernaturalism is a more potent factor in determining conduct among the 

 warlike Seri than among the peaceful Papago, and the examination of other tribes 

 indicates that the relation is general, i. e., that the tendency toward supernatural 

 explanation, with its concomitant effect on conduct, is gradually rectified by inter- 

 tribal contact in a manner akin to that in Avhich myths and languages are blended. 

 The studies arc still in progress. 



DESCRIPTIVE ETHNOLOGY. 



The ijreparation of material for the Cyclopedia of Indian Tribes was continued 

 during the year under the immediate supervision of Mr, F. W. Hodge. As other 

 duties permitted, Mr. Hodge continued extracting and placing on cards material 

 relating to the Pueblo Indians and other sotithwestern tribes. The greater part of 

 the wojk on the cyclopedia performed during the year was that of Dr. Thomas, Avho 

 continued and nearly completed the revision, extension, and final arrangement of the 

 voluminous body of material relating to the Algonquian Indians, the largest and 

 most diversified of the aboriginal stocks of the territory of the United States. In his 

 detailed report Dr. Thomas acknowledges gratefully the facilities afforded by several 

 libraries of the national capital, especiall j^ the Congressional Library, whose rich store 

 of rare literature has been most courteously made accessible by Librarian Ainsworth 

 E. Spoftord. Some additions to the cyclopedia were made also by other collabora- 

 tors, particularly Mr. Mooney. 



BIP.I.IOCUAPriY. 



The bibliograijhic work of the Bureau was interrupted in 1895 by the death of 

 James C. Pilling, who had prepared a series of reports on the literature relating to 

 the languages of several aboriginal stocks (which were issued as bulletins during 

 preceding years), and who had partially completed a similar report concerning the 

 aboriginal languages of Mexico. During the last fiscal year an arrangement was 

 made whereby this portion, at least, of the bibliographic work may be completed. 

 The task was generously undertaken by Mr. George Parker Winship, librarian of the 

 John Carter Brown Library, in Providence, already a contributor of valuable material 

 to the Bureau. Mr. Winship began operations toward the end of the year. The 

 material pertaining to Mexico, brought together by Mr. Pilling, was transferred to 

 his custody, and by the end of the year he was able to report substantial progress in 

 the work. 



COLLECTING. 



The chief work of the year in this departuieut was (hat of Dr. J. Walter Fewkes 

 conducted under the more immediate direction of the Secretary. Already in the 

 field at the beginning of the fiscal year, Dr. Fewkes proceeded to the extensive ruin 

 of Chevlon, on Little Colorado River, early in .luly. Later be excavated another 

 ruin of imposing dimensions near Chavez Pass. His work was successful beyond 

 precedent, yielding by far the finest and most extensive collection of aboriginal 

 fictile Avare and associated artifacts ever made in the United States. As noted in 

 earlier paragrajjhs, the material is especially lich in symbolic painting and other 

 expressions of the lemarkable religious beliefs of the pueblo peojiles during prehis- 

 toric times. 



