THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 133 



the result of several years' labor in the survey and exploration of the 

 mounds and earthworks of the Mississippi valley, and will furnish a 

 highly interesting addition to the antiquities ot our country, which could 

 not have been given to the world but for the timely aid extended to it 

 by this Institution. The memoir was referred to the American Eth- 

 nological Society, with a request that a committee of its members might 

 be appointed to examine and report on its character, as to fitness for 

 publication in the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge. On the 

 favorable report of this committee, and on the responsibility of the 

 society, the memoir has been accepted for publication. The following 

 correspondence will serve to give an account of the work, and to illus- 

 trate the manner in which it is proposed to submit the papers which 

 may be presented for publication to a commission of competent judges. 



CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE FOR PUBLICATION 

 OF THE ETHNOLOGICAL MEMOIR OF MESSRS. SQUIER AND DAVIS. 



From Messrs. Squier and Davis to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution. 



Chillicothe, Ohio, May 15, 1847. 

 Dear Sir : It is proposed in the recognised plan of organization of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, of which you are the executive officer, to 

 publish, under the title of " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," such 

 original papers and memoirs "as shall constitute valuable additions to 

 the sum of human knowledge." Under the belief that it falls legiti- 

 mately within the scope of the above plan, the undersigned herewith 

 submit for acceptance and publication, subject to the prescribed rules 

 of the Institution, a MS. memoir, entitled " Ancient Monuments of 

 the Mississippi Valley, comprising the results of Extensive Original 

 Surveys and Explorations: by E. G. Squier and E. H. Davis." The 

 extent of these investigations, and their general character, are suffi- 

 ciently indicated in the prefatory remarks to the # volume. 

 With high consideration, we are truly yours, 



E. GEO. SQUIER, 

 E. H. DAVIS. 

 Joseph Henry, Esq., 



Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 



From the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to the President of the 

 American Ethnological Society. 



Washington, June 2, 1847. 



Dear Sir: I am authorized by the Regents of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution to publish, in the numbers of the "Smithsonian Contributions to 

 Knowledge" any memoir which may be presented for this purpose, pro- 

 vided that, on careful examination by a commission of competent 



