56 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Research work. The large amount of time consumed in purely 

 curatorial work has necessarily curtailed detailed researches. 

 Opportunity, however, has been found to continue certain lines of 

 study, as the investigations into the distribution of the various 

 sites of occupation and the distribution of the certain classes of 

 artifacts. It has now been possible for us to form a hypothesis 

 of the origin of the Iroquois, the time of their occupation of this 

 State and to state more or less definitely certain facts concerning 

 their material culture. These studies, it is hoped, will shortly be 

 published. From the facts examined it would seem that the 

 Iroquois have not been inhabitants of this area for more than 650 

 years and that though the Laurentian Iroquois came down into 

 New York from the St Lawrence basin, the Seneca-Erie division 

 probably never went across the Detroit or Niagara rivers for 

 permanent settlement in the regions north of Lake Ontario. The 

 migration of the Iroquois has therefore been from the west or 

 southwest to the east, and not from the north, into New York. 

 This is in contradiction to the older theory first advanced by Colden 

 and long held by later writers. 



Publications. During the year the manuscript notes on the Con- 

 stitution of the Five Nations' Confederacy have been put into 

 shape for publication. This work will give several versions of the 

 Dekanawidah — Hiawatha tradition and be properly annotated. 

 These traditions handed down by word of mouth for generations 

 were reduced to writing by several native annalists and are now 

 for the first time published in such a manner that parallel versions 

 will be available. 



We have already under way a work to be known as " The Archeo- 

 logical History of New York." This work has been greatly 

 expanded during the year by additional notes and when completed 

 will give the principal sites of aboriginal occupation throughout the 

 State and describe the various culture areas and the implements 

 and utensils which characterize them. 



Public interest. The interest of the public in the work of this 

 division of the Museum is greatly increasing and we are in constant 

 receipt of letters requesting information and help along lines of 

 our interest. These requests come from those interested in arrang- 

 ing pageants, tableaux, field days, games and exercises of interest to 

 boys and girls, the naming of places, boats and summer homes 

 arid in the supplying of information for artists, musicians and 

 authors. 



The interest of the student and collector of Indian implements 



