170 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



vided among those who defrayed the expense. In behalf of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution $150 was subscribed towards this enterprise, and for 

 this we are entitled to a full set of all the objects collected. These are 

 to be submitted to Dr. Gray, of Cambridge, to be described in a me- 

 moir by him, and to be published in the Smithsonian Contributions. 

 Mr. Wright is expected to start on another expedition early in the spring, 

 for the purpose of making explorations in natural history in the regions 

 around El Paso ; and it will be well for the Smithsonian Institution to 

 further assist this laudable enterprise with another subscription of an 

 equal amount. 



We have also purchased, for the sum of $20, a set of the plants col- 

 lected by Mr. Fendler,in the vicinity of Santa Fe, during the year 

 1S47. This adventurous explorer, under the direction of the gentleman 

 previously mentioned, is now engaged in investigating the botany of 

 the great valley of the Salt Lake, and it is proposed further to assist 

 him by the purchase of a set of the collections he may obtain, By co- 

 operating in this way with individuals and institutions we are enabled, 

 at a small expense, materially to advance the cause of science. 



Ancient Monuments. 



Another object, the prosecution of which falls particularly within 

 the province of the Institution, is that of obtaining descriptions of the 

 ancient monuments of North America. Circulars have been sent to 

 gentlemen in various parts of the country, requesting them to furnish 

 surveys and explorations of mounds and other ancient works which 

 are reputed to exist in their vicinity. To facilitate these investiga- 

 tions, we have requested the authors of the first volume to draw up, 

 from the results of their experience, a set of instructions for the proper # 

 examination and description of works of this kind. The same sub- 

 ject has also been placed before several historical societies, established 

 in places where mounds are known to exist. In connexion with this 

 subject, we cannot too highly commend the policy of the new Terri- 

 tory of Minnesota, which, among the first of its acts, has established 

 a Historical Society, to gather up the record of events as they occur, 

 and thus to preserve the unappreciated facts of the present — destined 

 to become history in the future. An important and interesting part of 

 the labors of such societies would be the survey and exploration of 

 the ancient monuments which might be found in their vicinity. Brief 

 accounts of these might be published in the proceedings of the socie- 

 ties, while detailed descriptions and drawings could be given to the 

 world at the expense and through the transactions of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



The publication of our first volume has awakened a lively interest 

 in this subject, and we have received accounts of various locations of 

 mounds and other ancient works in different parts of the country which 

 were previously unknown. A gentleman, well qualified for the task, 

 is now engaged in preparing for us an ethnological chart indicating the 

 relative positions, as far as they are known, of all the monuments of 

 this kind. This chart may be improved from time to time, and will 

 be the means of eliciting important additional information. Indeed, this 



