Jan., 1908. Annual Report of the Director. 



129 



leaving for the Philippines, Dr. Jones spent a month among the Sauk 

 and Fox Indians of Tama, Iowa, making a study of their material 

 culture, and .obtaining specimens for the Museum. Through the 

 generosity of Mrs. T. B. Blackstone, who has recently provided a 

 fund, the department has been able to add to its staff Dr. Berthold 

 Laufer, who is now making preparation to start for a three years' period 

 of investigation in Tibet. This gift of Mrs. Blackstone marks a new 

 era in the history of the department. It is not only the largest 

 sum ever set aside for one specific object, but it enables the depart- 

 ment to undertake an investigation of almost universal interest, and 

 to place in charge of it one thoroughly competent. As a result of the 

 Blackstone Tibetan Expedition, it is expected that not only will 

 there be assembled a great collection illustrating every phase of the 

 material culture of the Tibetans, which will be of the very greatest 

 value to all students of the history of Asiatic culture, but it is believed 

 that, through Dr. Laufer's investigation in early Tibetan literature, 

 he will make material contributions to the general history of human 

 culture. In this connection, it is interesting to note that the New- 

 berry Library has made a special contribution of $4,000.00, which 

 is to be expended by Dr. Laufer, during his three year's residence 

 in Asia, in the purchase of a library of Tibetan literature. 



The Curator of the Department of Botany, in company of 

 Dr. N. L. Britton, Director of the New York Botanical Garden, spent 

 ten weeks of the early spring in a continuance of their explorations 

 of the Bahamian Archipelago. A schooner was chartered and com- 

 missioned, at Nassau, from which large and particularly exhaustive 

 collections were made on Eleuthera, Cat Island, Conception Island, 

 Little San Salvador, Long Island and Watling's. All these islands were 

 crossed afoot at several points, and traversed for considerable distance 

 in all directions, from a number of landing places. The expedi- 

 tion returned about two thousand specimens, and secured critical 

 notes, observations, and photographs of fully fifteen hundred more. 

 This work was also augmented by commissioning Mr. Louis J. K. 

 Brace to explore thoroughly Acklin's Island, Crooked Island, Fortune 

 Island, and the north end and northwest side of Andros. His work 

 resulted in two thousand additional specimens from these interesting 

 localities. Another expedition, in continuance of this same work, 

 was sent out in December, consisting of Dr. M. A. Howe, Mr. Percy 

 Wilson, and Louis Brace; they are to undertake the southeastern 

 islands of the group — French Cays, Samana, Mariguan, the Caicos, 



