REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 19 



those stated, is paid at rates considerably less than for similar service 

 in the Executive Departments. 



I again most earnestly commend this most regrettable state of affairs 

 to the attention of the Regents, and through them to Congress. It is 

 for them to apply the remedy. 



In my previous reports I have called attention to the congested state 

 of the exhibition halls of the Museum, which prevents the collections 

 from being seen to advantage. This condition has been met to a limited 

 extent by the appropriation of $8,000 for galleries, which will afford a 

 temporary relief; but it is evident that a new building must soon be 

 provided, or the Museum will tend to present the appearance of a place 

 lor storage rather than that of one for commodious exhibition. There 

 would not be the slighest difficulty in immediately filling a second build- 

 ing of the same size as the present one with objects of interest from the 

 collections already accumulated. 



It may possibly be a matter of surprise that I should urge the increase 

 of appropriations for purchases, while the Museum building is thus 

 crowded; but, as I have stated above, the present collections represent, 

 in large part, not what is most desirable, but what has come to hand, 

 leaving everywhere great gaps, or at least, fragmentary series which, to 

 be properly presented, should be filled out by objects only obtainable 

 by purchase. 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY. 



The researches relating to the American Indians under the direction 

 of the Smithsonian Institution have been contiuued. During the year 

 special attention has been given to the more precise classification of 

 the Indians by Maj. J. W. Powell, Director of the Bureau, and several 

 of his collaborators; meantime the customary operations have been 

 can ied forward in such manner as to elucidate the arts, institutions, 

 beliefs, and languages of the native tribes. 



As usual a part of the work of the Bureau was exploratory. An 

 extended exploration conducted by Mr. W J McGee, ethnologist in 

 charge of the Bureau, was carried on over the territory of the Seri 

 Indians, including Tiburon Island, in the Gulf of California, and adja- 

 cent mainland area in the State of Sonora, Mexico. These Indians are 

 remarkable for primitive character and warlike disposition, and have 

 successfully protected their habitat from invasion by white men since 

 llif time of Coronado. An account of this interesting journey will be 

 found in Major Powell's report. 



Archeologic explorations of considerable extent were carried forward 

 also in Arizona, and some of the ruins thereby discovered were exca- 

 vated with gnat success. The chief result of this work was a remark- 

 ably rich collection of symbolically decorated prehistoric pottery, made 

 by l>r. J. Walter Pewkes and transferred to the United States National 

 Museum. 



