The following gifts have been received since the last JOURNAL went to press.
From Mr. W. Ludwig Baker, a suit of Japanese armor.
From Mrs. Francis H. Montgomery, an old feather cape from the Sandwich Islands.
From Rev. Erskine Wright, an ancient clay lamp from Palestine.
From Mr. Edward A. White, a pottery bowl from an ancient cliff dwelling in New Mexico.
From Mrs. Dillwyn Parrish of London, England, a collection of three hundred and eighty-three specimens of Egyptian and Graeco-Roman antiquities.
From Dr. John K. Mitchell, a bronze coat of arms from a Spanish battleship sunk at the battle of Santiago.
From Mrs. William Pepper, a collection of Roman glass, early Italian pottery and bronzes, two Italian iron lamps of the Middle Ages, and one American Indian clay pipe.
From Mrs. Leighton Hoskins, a collection of archaeological books comprising one hundred and eighty-five volumes.
The following purchases have been made.
An old flaxen robe from Polynesia.
A collection of Bagobo ethnology comprising about twelve hundred specimens.
A collection of Herero ethnology.
A small collection of Sudanese ethnology.
An old sinew-back North American Indian bow and sheaf of stone-pointed arrows.
A collection of pottery, jade and carved stone from the Uloa Valley in Honduras.
A Babylonian clay cone with cuneiform inscription and a clay statuette of the goddess Ishtar.
Two pieces of ancient Chinese sculpture dating from the fifth century A. D. One of these is a colossal head of Buddha and the other a head from a statue of the goddess Kwanyin.
One pottery statue of a Lohan or disciple of Buddha dating from the sixth century A. D. This statue is larger than life size and is finished in transparent glaze over a polychrome surface.
One cloisonné vase of the early Ming dynasty.
The Museum has made arrangements to participate in the anthropological expedition to northern Siberia under the direction of Miss M. A. Czaplicka of Sommerville College, Oxford. This expedition was arranged under the joint auspices of Oxford University and the Academies of Moscow and St. Petersburg. By special arrangement with Miss Czaplicka and with the institutions mentioned, the University Museum will send its own representative to accompany the expedition and to participate in its work, Mr. H. U. Hall, who was appointed to this position in May, has joined the expedition at Moscow. The territory where the expedition will work is that lying between the Yenisei and the Lena Rivers and the tribes which will be visited are the Tungusic, Mongolic, Turkic and Samoyed.
A letter has been received from Dr. Farabee giving the history of the South American Expedition up until the time of writing, April 29th. The letter was written at the Barbados and was the first one received for six months. During this period the party was in the unexplored forests of southern British Guiana and northern Brazil. The letter states that from December 16th to April 1st the party was among tribes of Indians which had never before seen white men and the information obtained was new to science The tribes encountered are the following: Parikutu, Waime, Chikena, Katawian, Toneyan, Diow, Kumayenas and Urukuanas. Besides these hitherto unknown tribes, the party passed through the territory of the Waiwais where collections were made and other valuable data obtained. The party, which consisted of Dr. Farabee, Mr. Ogilvie and four Indians, reached the coast by descending the Corentyne River. They were suffering from fever at this time and reached Georgetown greatly reduced in strength. Dr. Farabee went to the Barbados to recuperate and has since proceeded to Para to make preparations for his next journey into the interior.
The Museum has received the third consignment of ethnological specimens from the Amazon expedition, as well as three hundred and fifty negatives and a large package of note books.
Dr. Franklin H. Church, physician to the Amazon Expedition, accompanied Dr. Farabee until January 8th. At this time Dr. Farabee found it necessary to reduce the party owing to the increasing scarcity of food in the forest. He therefore despatched Dr. Church with most of the Indians to return by way of Melville’s ranch and Boa Vista to Manaos, and to carry with him the collections and notes made to that date. Dr. Church arrived at Manaos on March 15th and from that point returned to the United States. He arrived at the University Museum with the photographs and notes on June 1st.
Mr. H. P. C. Melville, Commissioner for the Imperial Government of Great Britain to the southern district of the crown colony of British Guiana, paid a visit to the Museum during the early days of June. Readers of the JOURNAL will remember that Mr. Melville has been mentioned in connection with the experiences of our South American Expedition. He is magistrate and protector of the Indians over a district which is as large as Pennsylvania and in which he is the only white resident. His knowledge of the country and of the Indians enabled him to render most valuable service to Dr. Farabee and the expedition. His annual leave of absence from his post began after Dr. Farabee had left him to plunge into the unexplored country from which he has just emerged. Mr. Melville was on his way to London via New York for his holiday when he stopped to pay a visit to the Museum and discuss the problems awaiting the Amazon Expedition.
Mr. M. R. Harrington, Assistant Curator of the American Section, has started on a trip to Oklahoma where he will spend the summer making studies and collections among the Ponca and Delaware Indians.
Mr. Clarence S. Fisher, Assistant Curator of the Egyptian Section of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, has been appointed to the position of head Curator of the Egyptian Section of the University Museum.
Mr. C. W. Bishop has been appointed Assistant Curator of the Section of General Ethnology.
The following new members have been elected.
Sustaining Members, William H. Barnes, H. A. Gatchel.
Annual Members, Miss Catherine K. Meredith, Miss Florence Sibley, Mr. Arthur Malcolm, Mr. Samuel Shaw, Miss Kate R. Birkinbine, Miss Ethel E. deTurck.