REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. H 



will be useful both to the student and to the naturalist by enabling 

 them to easily identify their specimens, and will assist them to a natural 

 classification of the family. 



Miscellaneous Collections published m 1878. — Among the "Collections" 

 published in the past year have been several very important circulars 

 intended to facilitate the collection of material for scientific research. 

 The first of these, prepared by Prof. O. T. Mason, at the request of the 

 Institution, relates to the various remains of American archaeology scat- 

 tered throughout different parts of our continent, consisting of mounds, 

 earthworks, ditches, graves, &c. A vast amount of isolated and discon- 

 nected research has been directed toward these objects, in most cases 

 by persons ignorant of the true method of examination or of the precise 

 nature of the problems to be solved in connection with them. The cir- 

 cular referred to comprises 15 pages, indicating the features of special 

 interest, a record of which it is desired to possess, and giving a table of 

 symbols to be used .to secure uniformity of illustration and facility of 

 reference. It also invites contributions of notes, surveys, maps, illus- 

 trations, &c, of the objects, and also requests the contribution of such 

 specimens as may be found in the localities described, including stone 

 implements, pottery, bone tools, &c. Of this circular many thousand 

 copies have been distributed, and these have elicited a vast amount of 

 material. This is all carefully and systematically classified and arranged, 

 and as soon as it appears to be measurably complete it will be placed in 

 the hands of one or more specialists, by the aid of whom it is hoped the 

 Institution may be able to prepare an exhaustive treatise on the sub- 

 ject which will mark as important a stage of progress in the history of 

 American archaeology as was done by its publication, in 1849, of Squier 

 & Davis's work upon the ancient mounds of the Mississippi Valley. 



The second circular published was one prepared by P. E. Uhler, of 

 Baltimore, in reference to the collection of specimens of craw-fishes. This 

 group of fresh-water crustaceans, which is found in most parts of the world, 

 with some curious exceptions, furnishes an interesting field for inquiry into 

 the modifications produced in animal forms by certain physical or other 

 conditions, Professor Huxley, among others, having lately prepared an 

 elaborate paper upon the subject. In previous years quite a number of 

 new craw -fishes were described from the collections of the National 

 Museum, by Mr. Charles Girard. The group was afterwards made the 

 subject of a very comprehensive investigation by Dr. H. Hagen, of 

 Cambridge. It is, however, thought that there is room for still further 

 inquiry, and the material in possession of the Smithsonian Institution 

 will be placed in the hands of competent specialists for investigation. 

 In the circular an illustration of the craw-fish is given, for which the 

 Institution is indebted to Messrs. Appleton & Co., ]S r ew York. 



The third circular, to form part of a forthcoming volume of Smithson- 

 ian Miscellaneous Collections, is in reference to the liviug reptiles of 



