Annual Report of Peabody Museum

The fortieth annual report of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, issued by Professor F. W. Putnam '62, begins by mentioning the generous services of the late Mr. Stephen Salisbury '56, who was a member of the Faculty of the Museum, and the appointment of Mr. Augusts Hemenway '75 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Salisbury. In continuing, the report describes the recent expeditions and other activities of the department and enumerates the additions and gifts made to the Museum. Professor Putnam deplores the fact that the Museum is becoming greatly hampered by lack of room and again appeals for means to complete the Museum building.

From explorations in Central America a number of casts of sculptures and hieroglyphs and an extensive report, illustrated by photographs, have been received. The fourth annual expedition to New York State yielded a good collection of implements, ornaments, pottery, and skeletons from an ancient Iroquois site. In the research work of Mr. Ernest Volk in the glacial deposits near Trenton, N. J., several paleolithic implements were found and additional geological facts were obtained in confirmation of the antiquity of man in the Delaware Valley. The report describes the expedition to South America and acknowledges the courtesies extended by the Peruvian Government, the Inca Mining Company, and others.

The Museum library has received valuable gifts from friends of the department. During the year, 151 volumes and 149 pamphlets were added, making a total of 3,422 volumes and 3,070 pamphlets. Another of the serial papers of the Museum has been issued during the past year under the title, "The Mandans: A Study of their Culture, Archaeology, and Language," by G. F. Will and H. J. Spinden '06.

The research work of Professor R. B. Dixon '97 among the Indians of California and of Dr. W. C. Farabee '00 among the pre-historic earthworks in the Ohio valley are spoken of in the report. Last March Dr. A. M. Tozzer '00 made a four weeks' lecture trip under the auspices of the Archeological Institute of America, including in his itinerary 19 of the principal cities between Boston and Chicago. Dr. Tozzer spent the summer in Europe studying Spanish manuscripts at Seville and visiting the principal museums.

Mr. Lewis H. Farlow has continued to present the Museum with valuable specimens illustrative of the life and customs of the North American Indians. Dr. L. C. Jones '87 has secured for the Museum a large number of objects from the Pacific islands and from different parts of North and South America. Among other gifts, a collection of reproductions of mural paintings and frescos in Yucatan, and an old manuscript volume in the Pocom language of Guatemala have been received.

In closing his report, Professor Putnam speaks of the generous gift received by him as a testimonial from President M. K. Jessup of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. This gift, a typical collection of material to illustrate the life of the inhabitants of the Philippine Islands, Professor Putnam has presented to the Peabody Museum.