1888, 1] 1 (Phillips. 
Dr. Frazer read extracts from a letter from M. Daubrée of 
Paris requesting information on the subject of subterranean 
waters in the United States; and from his correspondence with 
Mr. Selwyn of Montreal, Prof. Fontaine and Prof. Winchell, 
endorsing his views of the prepaleozoic age of the South 
Valley hill rock. 
Pending nominations Nos. 985, 986, were read. 
The Treasurer was authorized to receive City Loan matur- 
ing July 1, 1883, and the meeting was adjourned. 
A Brief Account of the more important Public Collections of American Arch- 
aology in the United States. By Henry Phillips, Jr. 
(Read before the American Philosophical Society, May 4, 1883.) 
To the student of American Archeology it is a matter of the greatest 
importance to know where in his own land there can be found public col- 
lections that will show him the advances made in the arts of war and 
peace by the aboriginal inhabitants of this Continent. In Europe there 
exist several of such exhibitions which are noteworthy and famous, where 
prehistoric America can be studied with great fullness of detail; in the 
United States there also are rich and valuable public cabinets of American 
archeology, laboriously and carefully got together, offering a vast field to 
the seeker after Truth. As to private collections, their name is Legion. 
With a view to diffusing a more general acquaintance with these collections, 
I prepared a series of queries which I transmitted to every public institu- 
tion where I had reason to believe there existed such a cabinet, and from 
the answers received, I have framed the following short account, bringing 
together matter never before presented at one view.* 
Acaprmmy oF Natura Scrences, of Philadelphia. 
There are five collections of American Archeology at present in the cus- 
tody of this museum, which, with the exception of the Haldeman collection 
ofarrow-points, stone axes, celts, bannerstones, &., arearranged geograph- 
ically, and the locality given where each specimen was found. The col- 
*No notice has been taken in the following pages of any matter which may 
relate to collections of foreign archeology in the United States; itsimply men- 
tions the American portion of the cabinets, 
