REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 13 



DEPARTMENT OF ETHNOLOGY. 



Prof. Otis T. Mason, curator of Ethnology, has been constantly en- 

 gaged in the preliminary classification of the immense collections of 

 material under his charge, with special reference to their final installa- 

 tion, devoting his attention chiefly to certain classes of objects, such as 

 weapons of war and the chase, implements of agriculture, and other 

 primitive industries. In addition to these great series classified ac- 

 cording to function, other groups of objects have been arranged with 

 reference to ethnical considerations. 



In the classification of the numerous groups of objects in this de- 

 partment, such as basket work, throwing-sticks, sinew-back bows, arch- 

 ery, transportation, and the several handicrafts of the various tribes of 

 Indians, an effort is being made to introduce the strict methods of classi- 

 fication and nomenclature which are already applied in the other depart- 

 ments of natural science. 



The Eskimo collection has been arranged in table cases in one of the 

 exhibition halls in accordance .with the ethnic idea, although in the minor 

 details of classification function and form as well as geographical dis- 

 tribution have been followed. 



In November, 1885, Lieut. T. Dix Bolles, U. S. Navy, having been 

 detailed for service in the National Museum by the Secretary of the 

 Navy, was assigned to duty in this department. 



The number of specimens in this department is estimated by the 

 curator at 500,000. During the year 1,344 entries were made in the 

 catalogues. 



The interest of this department is constantly increasing under its 

 present energetic management, and its value to visitors has been greatly 

 enhanced by the extension of the system of descriptive labels. 



SECTION OF ABORIGINAL AMERICAN POTTERY. 



The accessions to this section during the past year have been numer- 

 ous and very important, especially those received from the Bureau of Eth- 

 nology. The material belonging to this department, together with the 

 collections of South American aboriginal pottery, and of the extensive 

 collections from the mounds, which have for many years been accumu- 

 lating in the archaeological hall of the Smithsonian building, and have 

 now been transferred to the custody of this department, have com- 

 pletely filled the northwest court. 



A special feature of this exhibition hall is the case, 260 feet long and 

 4 feet 8 inches deep. This is in two compartments throughout, that in 

 the rear being used for the storage of the duplicate and unassorted col- 

 lection of American pottery. 



The value of these collections is practically inestimable, since even 

 the modern tribes, who are still making pottery similar in its general 

 character to that which is here preserved, have deteriorated to such a 



