The collections of ethnologic and archæologic material made during the year are of unusual importance and magnitude. This is chiefly due to the facilities afforded by the New Orleans Exposition fund, a liberal portion of which was devoted to the collection and purchase of objects of permanent value to the Government and to science. The collections made by Mr. Stevenson in Zuñi and Acoma comprise upward of four thousand pieces, chiefly objects of clay, but including other classes of products. The collection of prehistoric relics obtained by Mr. J. A. McNiel from the tombs of Chiriqui is one of the most important and complete series of ancient American products to be found in any country, and must prove of great value to students.
Mr. Victor Mindeleff secured a small series of relics from the ancient ruins of northern New Mexico and Arizona, and Dr. H. C. Yarrow added some objects of archæologic and ethnologic interest from central Utah. Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith procured a number of articles of shell, illustrating the modern manufacture of wampum in New Jersey; a small collection of fragmentary pottery from the eastern shore of Maryland was presented by Mr. Joseph D. McGuire, of Ellicott City; and Mr. Holmes secured a series of articles, including arrowheads, shell implements, and pottery, from the island of Nantucket. Mound explorations, conducted by Dr. Cyrus Thomas, yielded a valuable series of objects of stone and clay. An unusually interesting series of the earthen vessels of the ancient pueblo races was secured by Mr. E. W. Nelson in eastern central Arizona. The greater part of the abovementioned material has already been catalogued and turned over to the U. S. National Museum.
Dr. H. C. Yarrow, acting assistant surgeon, U. S. Army, besides his field explorations described, continued to collect information relative to the mortuary customs of North American Indians. Of the material gathered, a considerable portion has been forwarded by various persons throughout the country in answer to the circular sent out early in the last year, but much has also been derived from the published works on anthropologic subjects, including scientific journals and reports. Numerous authorities have been consulted and much time has been devoted to the consideration of the many theories advanced to account for certain peculiar rites and customs.
Mr. Charles C. Royce continued during the year the preparation of a historical atlas of Indian cessions. The boundaries of the various cessions of land by the different Indian tribes were traced out and located upon the maps of the States and Territories left uncompleted at the date of the last annual report. All that remains to be done in completing the atlas for publication is to transcribe, with considerable elaboration, the historical and descriptive notes pertaining to the various cessions, and to make, from the rough working sheets, legible copies of the maps showing the boundaries of the cessions within the States of California, Oregon, Nevada, and Texas and the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Dakota. Most of these States and Territories will each require two maps, showing respectively the primary and secondary cessions. The work will be finished as rapidly as possible.
ACCOMPANYING PAPERS.
The present volume contains papers the subject matter of which may be classified under the grand divisions of Technology, Philosophy, Sociology, and Ethnography.
They are all prepared by experts of recognized authority in their several lines of research and are illustrated to the degree required by the text for full understanding, the number of figures presented being 548, besides ten full page plates. Special mention of each of these papers follows in their order as printed.
ANCIENT ART OF THE PROVINCE OF CHIRIQUI, COLOMBIA, BY
WILLIAM H. HOLMES.
The archæology of Chiriqui should be studied, not only for comparison with that of the territory comprised in the present political divisions of North America, but because geographically the province should be considered as a part of the North American continent. Until recently this isthmian region was little known, the explorations for railroads and canals having furnished the first valuable accounts of its modern inhabitants and the relics left by former occupants.
The National Museum now contains a large and precious collection of archæologic material from the province, chiefly obtained by Mr. J. A. McNiel during years of enthusiastic labor. The information derived and the lessons to be learned from this collection, together with all particulars relating thereto gathered from other sources, are now presented in this paper by Mr. W. H. Holmes. His work in the classification of the immense number of objects and in the elucidation of their functions, material, construction, forms, and decorations has been careful and comprehensive. His manifest success has been owing to his artistic insight and skill as well as to his archæologic training. His ability in both fields can be appreciated by an examination of the 287 illustrations in his paper, considered not only as to their number, but as to their instructive arrangement in his text.