Mr. Ravenel was also appointed by the President as a member of the United States Government board of managers of the exposition.

LANGLEY MEDAL AND MEMORIAL TABLET.

As a tribute to the memory of the late Secretary Samuel Pierpont Langley and his contributions to the science of aerodromics, the Regents on December 15, 1908, adopted the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution establish a medal to be known as the Langley medal; to be awarded for specially meritorious investigations in connection with the science of aerodromics and its application to aviation.

Following the establishment of this medal a committee on award, composed of the following gentlemen of recognized attainments in the science of aerodromics, was appointed by the Secretary:

Mr. Octave Chanute, of Chicago, chairman.

Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, Washington, D. C.

Maj. George O. Squier, U. S. Army.

Mr. John A. Brashear, Allegheny, Pa.

Mr. James Means, formerly editor of the Aeronautical Annual,
Boston, Mass.

The obverse of the medal is the same as in the Hodgkins medal and was designed by M. J. C. Chaplain, of Paris, a member of the French Academy. It represents a female figure, seated on the globe, carrying a torch in her left hand and in her right a scroll emblematic of knowledge, and the words "Per Orbem." The reverse is adapted from the seal of the Institution as designed by Augustus St. Gaudens, the special inscription being inserted in the center instead of the map of the world. The medal is about 3 inches in diameter.

The committee recommended that the first medal be bestowed on Wilbur and Orville Wright, and the medal was awarded to these gentlemen under the following resolution, adopted by the Board of Regents on February 10, 1909:

Resolved, That the Langley medal be awarded to Wilbur and Orville Wright for advancing the science of aerodromics in its application to aviation by their successful investigations and demonstrations of the practicability of mechanical flight by man.

At the meeting of the Board of Regents on December 15, 1908, the following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution be requested to report to the Board of Regents as soon as practicable upon the erection in the Institution building of a tablet to the memory of Secretary Langley, setting forth his services in connection with the subject of aerial navigation.

Designs for this tablet are now being prepared by a well-known architect of this city, whose advice I have requested.

MISCELLANEOUS.

GREENOUGH STATUE OF WASHINGTON.

The Greenough statue of Washington, which was transferred to the custody of the Institution by joint resolution of Congress of May 22, 1908, introduced by Representative Mann, was removed from the plaza east of the Capitol in November, 1908, and has been installed in the west hall of the Smithsonian building.

MEMORIAL CONTINENTAL HALL.

Under date of April 30, 1909, the president-general of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution communicated with the President, offering to place at the disposal of the Smithsonian Institution the use of the auditorium in Memorial Continental Hall. The President transmitted this offer to the Secretary of the Institution, and its thanks were expressed in a statement that the needs of the Institution at present are of a special nature and require particularly facilities for laboratory and research work, for which Continental Hall is not well adapted, but should there be need in the future for additional space for lecture purposes and the like, the Institution would be glad to avail itself of the courteous proposal of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The operations of the National Museum are discussed in detail by the assistant secretary in the appendix to this report and also in a separate volume, and need not therefore be fully treated here.

It was expected that the new building would be ready for occupancy before June 30, but delayed contracts and other circumstances prevented its completion. The entire stonework of the outer walls was, however, finished, as were also the roofs and skylights of the building. Much progress was made in the interior and it is expected that some of the halls and workrooms will be ready for use early in the autumn. A large part of the first and second floors and of the basement were utilized in the autumn of 1908 for the meetings and exhibition halls of the Sixth International Tuberculosis Congress, an appropriation having been made by the Government for the erection of necessary partitions and other fittings.

It was found to be in the interest of economy to install in the new building a central heating and electrical plant of sufficient capacity to serve the needs of the older buildings as well, the pipes and wires to be carried through a small connecting tunnel.

Over 250,000 specimens were added to the Museum collections during the year, about 200,000 of them pertaining to biology and the remainder to geology and anthropology. One of the most important 45745° -SM 1909-3

additions to the division of ethnology was a contribution from Dr. W. L. Abbott, consisting of about 500 objects from southwestern Borneo. I may also mention a number of Chinese velvets and embroideries of the Chien-lung period (1736-1795), presented by the Baroness von Sternberg as a memorial to her husband, the late Baron Speck von Sternberg, German ambassador to the United States. To the technological collections were added more than 200 objects transferred from the United States Patent Office. These included a number of rifles, muskets, revolvers, and pistols, making the firearms exhibit in the National Museum one of the finest in the country. Many other objects of interest are enumerated by the assistant secretary in his detailed report. The department of biology received a noteworthy gift of about 1,200 European mammals and 61 reptiles from Mr. Oldfield Thomas, of the British Museum, and Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, of this Museum. This has so greatly increased the importance of the National Museum collection of the mammals of Europe that it now ranks as one of the largest and most valuable in the world. I may also mention a contribution of about a thousand mammals and birds of Borneo, received from Dr. W. L. Abbott.

In connection with the work of excavation and repair of the Casa Grande ruins in Arizona, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, as authorized by act of Congress approved March 4, 1907, there were collected and placed in the National Museum about 650 stone axes and hammers, rubbing and grinding stones, earthenware bowls and vases, pieces of basketry and textile fabrics, shell ornaments, and wooden implements. From similar excavations in the Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, there were received about 500 objects of like character. The department of geology received a large series of Cambrian fossils from the Rocky Mountains, collected during my field studies in that region. There were also added to the collections many interesting objects pertaining to mineralogy and paleobotany. Eighty-two regular sets of geological specimens to the number of 7,739 were distributed during the year for educational purposes, besides 1,300 specimens of geology, marine invertebrates, and fishes arranged in special sets.

In my last report mention was made of a loan collection of laces, embroideries, rare porcelains, enamels, jewelry, and other artistic objects, temporarily installed in the hall occupied by the gallery of art. This collection was brought together by Mrs. James W. Pinchot with the assistance of a committee of ladies of Washington. The extent of the collection is limited on account of present lack of space. The lace exhibit is specially noteworthy in variety and value. It is expected that this temporary collection will lead to a permanent exhibit of art objects that may help to elevate the standard of American art workmanship.

Two field parties in which the Institution and Museum are greatly interested left this country during the year for important collecting regions, from both of which especially valuable results may be expected. The first, which will explore Java and some of the adjacent islands, is being conducted by Mr. Owen Bryant, of Cohasset, Mass., entirely at his own expense. He is accompanied by Mr. William Palmer, of the Museum staff, and will present to the Museum a large share of the specimens obtained. The party sailed at the beginning of the calendar year 1909. The second expedition is that under the direction of Col. Theodore Roosevelt into British East Africa and more inlands districts. This expedition is more fully mentioned on another page.

In the near future it will be possible to give the national collections adequate space and more systematic arrangement. In the new building it is proposed to exhibit collections representing ethnology, archeology, natural history, and geology, while the older buildings will be more specially given up to the arts and industries. The Museum thus amply provided with space will enter upon a new era of prosperity and usefulness.

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART.

Some notable accessions have been made to the National Gallery of Art as enumerated in the appendix. I may specially mention additions to the Charles L. Freer collection, consisting of a number of oil paintings, pastels, 247 pieces of oriental pottery, and 25 miscellaneous examples of oriental art. Mr. William T. Evans has also increased his generous gift of works of contemporary American artists so that it now numbers 84 oil paintings, representing 58 artists. This collection, which had been exhibited for some months at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, was transferred to the Museum building during the first week of July, 1909.

Congress having failed to authorize the adaptation of the large hall of the Smithsonian building for the exhibition of the rapidly increasing collection of works of art, it has become necessary to make temporary use of one of the halls in the new Museum building and its adaptation to that purpose will soon begin.

BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY.

The Bureau of American Ethnology during the year has been engaged mainly in making summaries of the information resulting from many years of study, both in the field and office, of the languages, social organization and government, systems of belief, religious customs, and arts and industries of the Indians, as well as their physical and mental characteristics.

The bureau has collected data relating to 60 families or linguistic stocks and upward of 300 tribes. It does not expect to study all of the tribes in detail, but rather to investigate a sufficient number as types which may stand for all. The results of the work heretofore accomplished are embodied in 26 published reports, 36 bulletins, 8 volumes of contributions, and in many manuscripts preserved in the archives of the bureau. It has seemed wise at this stage of the researches to prepare a summary of our knowledge of the tribes, and this has taken the form of a Handbook of the Indians, of which one large volume is published and the second nearly through the press. In order to keep this summary within the compass of an easily consulted handbook many important subjects are treated merely in outline. Other handbooks dealing with the more important branches of the work are in course of preparation. The first is the Handbook of Languages, which is now in press and will form two volumes. The arts and industries are also being treated in separate volumes, and handbooks relating respectively to religions, folklore, social customs, government, sign language, pictography, æsthetic arts, physical and mental characters, pathology and medicine, archeology, geographical names, etc., are in prospect.

The people of the United States have two great obligations which the bureau is trying to fulfill: (1) That of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the Indian tribes in the interests of humanity; (2) that of preserving to the world an adequate record of the American race which is so rapidly disappearing. The work is of national, even of world-wide, importance, and unless steadfastly carried forward by the Government can never be completed.

Recently much popular interest has been manifested in the antiquities of the country, more especially in the great pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings of the arid region, and the Fifty-ninth Congress enacted a law for the preservation of these antiquities. A first step in making this law effective is their exploration. A second is the excavation and repair of the more important ruins to insure their preservation and to make them available to the public and for study.

Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, of the Bureau of American Ethnology, has continued the work of excavation and repair of the ancient ruins in the Mesa Verde National Park, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior. During the year the repair of Spruce Tree House was completed, and at the end of June he had made excellent progress in uncovering and repairing the crumbling walls of Cliff Palace, the greatest of the ancient ruins of its kind in this country.

There is need also for ethnological work in the Hawaiian Islands and Samoa, for the following reasons: It is regarded as most im

that the Government should have definite and detailed inregarding the native inhabitants of these islands, which