GENERAL ACTIVITIES OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CANADA 
By W. H. Collins, Acting Director 
The curtailment of field work, which, owing to the need for rigid 
economy, has been nearly complete since 1930, was lessened to a small extent 
in 1934. C. M. Sternberg collected two skeletons of ancient marine reptiles 
(mosasaurs) from the Cretaceous strata of southern Manitoba, and fossil 
footprints from the Pennsylvanian formations of Nova Scotia, near Parrs- 
boro. Douglas Leechman was afforded an opportunity by the Department 
of the Interior to accompany the annual Government expedition to the 
eastern Arctic. He collected specimens and information about ancient 
Eskimo habitations at the various places of call of the ship, Nascopie. Some 
inexpensive collecting of biological material, some moving picture photo- 
graphy, and some other miscellaneous work were done around Ottawa. 
The prolonged suspension of field investigations has similarly affected 
the output of reports and articles of original scientific character. The results 
of field work prior to 1931 have been written up and such writing as is now 
in hand is mainly designed for publication outside the Museum. Lists of 
the publications are given in the several special sections of this report. 
However, in the case of some subjects dealing with Canadian natural 
history, an attempt has been made to provide educationists and lovers of 
nature with comprehensive, authoritative, and non-technical sources of 
information. Of this class, P. A. Taverner finished the “ Birds of Canada,” 
which combines in one volume the information contained in two former 
books, “ Birds of Eastern Canada ” and “ Birds of Western Canada.” 
This new book was published about the end of the fiscal year. Diamond 
Jenness prepared a revised edition of his “ Indians of Canada,” which is now 
in the press, and R. M. Anderson is still engaged upon a third work of the 
kind, dealing with the mammals of Canada. 
The number of specimens received for scientific collections has been 
nearly as large as in past years, despite the small amount collected by the 
staff or purchased. Most of the specimens have come as gifts from indi- 
viduals and companies throughout the country and from other Depart- 
ments of the Federal Government. Particular mention is made here of a 
considerable collection of Eskimo skeletal remains from Richards island, 
in the delta of Mackenzie river, excavated and presented by Mr. Norman 
Wilson, of the Hydrographic Survey. This collection has unusual value 
in relation to a new theory that the Mackenzie River natives, up to 1910, 
were the purest survivors of a large section of the Eskimo race that spread 
many centuries ago from Alaska through the Arctic archipelago to Green- 
land. The botanical and anthropological collections have also been 
enriched by Mr. A. E. Porsild, who has been representative of the Depart- 
ment of the Interior in moving a herd of reindeer from Alaska to the 
country east of Mackenzie river. Complete lists of donations are given 
elsewhere in this report. 
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