PROVINCIAL MUSEUM REPORT 



FOR THE YEAR 191 4. 



Provincial Museum, 

 Victoria, B.C., December 31st, 1914. 



The Honourable H. E. Young, M.D., 



Provincial Secretary, Victoria, B.C. 



Sir. — Since the last Annual Report considerable research-work has been carried on in the 

 field, but owing to the financial stringency at the beginning of the year it was deemed 

 advisable to effect economy as far as possible in the administration of the Provincial Museum. 

 A cut of 81,000 was made on the annual maintenance for the year 1914, and again, since the 

 outbreak of the European war, another cut of §1,500 was made. While it is a matter of 

 regret, not being able to avail ourselves of opportunities which from time to time occur, 

 considerable field-work has been carried on and a number of specimens have been secured, with 

 valuable and interesting scientific data. 



The Director is pleased to be able to report that since the Public Works Department 

 vacated the temporary building in the rear of the Museum, this building has been handed over 

 to this Department. Although it is not a fire-proof building, it is of great use to us for 

 storage of specimens and study series of natural history, also for laboratories ; every available 

 space in the Museum being occupied. Immediately on taking over this annex I arranged to 

 have all the valuable anthropological material which was in storage (at Dr. Newcombe's resi- 

 dence) transferred to this building, where it is now temporarily installed, catalogued, 

 numbered, labelled, and arranged according to tribes. All of this material, which has been 

 collected during the past four years, is of great scientific value to the Province, illustrating 

 the chief points in the common life of the Indians and many of their ceremonial usages, and is 

 now accessible to students of anthropology. The large totem-poles, canoes, etc., are stored in 

 e basement of this temporary building. The collection of bird and mammal skins has also 

 been transferred to this annex, where thev are available for study to those who wish to 

 consult them. 



Dr. C. F. Xewcombe was employed by the Department for a short time during the year 

 to continue anthropological research in regard to the Indians along the Coast. Over one 

 hundred specimens were secured. Mr. J. A. Teit, of Spences Bridge, also carried on the work 

 among the Interior Indians, securing sixty-six specimens. Lists of these specimens are 

 appended to the anthropological reports. 



e have been taken to revise and add to the botanical collection which for many years 

 has been installed in the Museum, many persons having signified their intention to add to 

 this branch of the Department. 



During the year the Director found it impossible to do any field-work, but sent afield, in 

 May, Mr. E. M. Anderson and Mr. C. B. Garrett to carry on the work already started last 

 fall in the Atlin District by myself and assistant. They were very successful on their trip, 

 securing a large number of birds, mammals, and other natural-history specimens, with a vast 

 amount of valuable data. A number of new records for the Province were made. 



The matter of obtaining Bare Island (known as Indian Reserve No. 9, Saanich Tribe) to 

 be kept as a permanent bird sanctuary for the preservation of bird-life on this Coast has not 

 yet matured. Mr. Duncan C. Scott, Deputy General Superintendent of Indian Affairs at 

 Ottawa, and Mr. W. E. Ditcbbum, the local Commissioner of Indian Affairs, have done a 

 great deal in the way of helping us in this matter and have advised arbitration proceedings. 

 Owing to the existing financial stringency it is deemed advisable to let expropriation proceed- 

 ings drop for the present, but arrangements have been made with the Indian Department 

 whereby the Provincial Government may put a guard on this island during the nesting 



• n. to look after the preservation of bird-life, but this will not interfere in any way with 

 the Indians who wish to go there to gather camas (commonly called wild onion) for food. 



