REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I912 47 



An attempt was also made to make a " census " of all the 

 collections of aboriginal artifacts in the State and a new index 

 has resulted, giving the lists of several hundred collections. In 

 this manner, more than any other, an idea can be obtained of 

 the localities most thickly populated in aboriginal times, but 

 there is seemingly no correspondence between the abundance of 

 earth works and the abundance of specimens. Large numbers of 

 objects from all the various types and successions of occupancy 

 are in the possession of individual collectors. The correspond- 

 ence and indexing necessary to collect and file these statistics 

 consumed a greater portion of the time up to May, but the 

 knowledge gained is of practical as well as of high scientific 

 importance. 



In passing, it should be mentioned that many collections held 

 by priA^ate individuals are neither numbered nor adequately 

 cataloged. The collectors almost without exception remember 

 where their objects were found, but without a permanent recora 

 the collection is robbed of its highest usefulness, and with the 

 death of the owner, the otherwise valuable and instructive series 

 becomes a mere aggregation of curiosities known as " Indian 

 relics." In these days when the collection of such artifacts has 

 a scientific object, every care should be taken to give each its 

 precise locality. Topographical maps are of much use in this, 

 connection. 



THE O. W. AURINGER COLLECTION 



Supplementing in an important way the Dr A. W. Holderi 

 collection, donated last year by State Plistorian James A. Holden,. 

 is the Rev. O. W. Auringer collection, generously donated to the 

 Museum by Dr Albert Vander Veer, of the Board of Regents. 

 This collection is from about the same district as the Holden collec- 

 tion, that is Queensbury township and the region about Troy, north 

 to Lake George. 



An examination of the collection donated by Doctor Vander 

 Veer reveals some important archeological facts which,, supple- 

 mented by Mr Auringer's notes, give the collection a valuable 

 place in our archives. The region from which the collection 

 comes is characterized by several different occupations. 



There have been unearthed on several Queensbury sites, flint 

 knives and lance heads so old that the original flint — itself about 

 the hardest of stones — had so far changed in substance as to 



