REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. 55 



and distributed to observers, and examinations ana reports have 

 been made on a large number of this class of objects sent to the In- 

 stitution. The publications in regard to this subject are a number 

 of papers by Professor Bailey, of West Point, and a very interesting 

 memoir by Dr. Leidy, of Philadelphia, on a fauna and flora within 

 living animals. 



Physiology. — No experiments on this subject have been made under 

 the immediate direction of the Institution, although it has furnished 

 the materials for investigation by other parties. The publications in 

 regard to it are chemical and physical researches concerning North 

 American vertebrata, by Dr. J. Jones ; researches upon the venom 

 of the rattlesnake, with an investigation of the anatomy and physi- 

 ology of the organs concerned, by Dr. S. W. Mitchell ; on the 

 breathing organs of turtles, by Drs. Mitchell and Morehouse ; on 

 the anatomy of the nervous system of rana pipiens, by Dr. J. Wy- 

 man ; and on the medulla oblongata by Dr. John Dean. 



Ethnology and Philology. — One of the earliest efforts on the part of 

 the Institution was directed to the advancement of the science of 

 American ethnology. Its first publication as well as introductory 

 volume to the series of Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, be- 

 ing the work of Squier and Davis, on the ancient monuments of the 

 Mississippi valley, remains the standard treatise on this subject. 

 This was followed by a similar work on the antiquities of New York, 

 by Mr. Squier ; and those of Wisconsin, by Mr. Lapham, of Ohio ; 

 and of Lake Superior, by Mr. Whittlesey ; a memoir on some anti- 

 quities of Mexico, by Brantz Mayer ; and a general introduction to 

 the whole subject of American archaeology, by Mr. Haven, besides 

 many articles of less extent in one or another of the Smithsonian 

 series. Several pamphlets of instructions for making observations 

 and collections in this science have also been issued. 



In the department of philology, also, the Institution has evinced 

 its zeal and activity by the publication, among others, of the elaborate 

 work on the Dakota language, by Mr. Riggs ; that on the Yoruba 

 language, by Mr. Bowen; and that on the Chinook jargon, by Mr. 

 Turner and Mr. Gibbs. To Mr. Shea, of New York, who is engaged 

 in the preparation of a library of American languages, annual appro- 

 priations from the funds of the Institution have been made in fur- 

 therance of the publication of linguistic memoirs furnished by its 

 correspondents. 



Systematic efforts have been directed by the Institution to the 

 collection of as perfect a series as possibleof the specimens of Ameri- 



