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  ‖ (double vertical line

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in the Sign Language article, hand positions identified by letter
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in some articles the same notation is used for +small capitals+.

The First Annual Report includes ten “Accompanying Papers”, all
available from Project Gutenberg as individual e-texts. Except for
Yarrow’s “Mortuary Customs”, updated shortly before the present text,
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Errors and inconsistencies are listed separately at the end of each
article and after the combined Index. Differences in punctuation or
hyphenization between the Table of Contents, Index, or List of
Illustrations, and the item itself, are not noted.]


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               FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

                     of the

              BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY

                     to the

    Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

                    1879-’80

                       by

                 J. W. POWELL
                    Director


                 [Illustration]


                   WASHINGTON
           Government Printing Office
                      1881




  SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Bureau of Ethnology,
    _Washington, D.C., July, 1880._

  Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD,
    _Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution_,
      _Washington, D.C._:

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the first annual report of
the operations of the Bureau of Ethnology.

By act of Congress, an appropriation was made to continue researches in
North American anthropology, the general direction of which was confided
to yourself. As chief executive officer of the Smithsonian Institution,
you entrusted to me the immediate control of the affairs of the Bureau.
This report, with its appended papers, is designed to exhibit the
methods and results of my administration of this trust.

If any measure of success has been attained, it is largely due to
general instructions received from yourself and the advice you have ever
patiently given me on all matters of importance.

I am indebted to my assistants, whose labors are delineated in the
report, for their industry; hearty co-operation, and enthusiastic love
of the science. Only through their zeal have your plans been executed.

Much assistance has been rendered the Bureau by a large body of
scientific men engaged in the study of anthropology, some of whose names
have been mentioned in the report and accompanying papers, and others
will be put on record when the subject-matter of their writings is fully
published.

I am, with respect, your obedient servant,

  J. W. POWELL.




TABLE OF CONTENTS.


REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR.
                                                               Page.

  Introductory                                                    xi
  Bibliography of North American philology, by J. C. Pilling      xv
  Linguistic and other anthropologic researches,
      by J. O. Dorsey                                           xvii
  Linguistic researches, by S. R. Riggs                        xviii
  Linguistic and general researches among the Klamath
      Indians, by A. S. Gatschet                                 xix
  Studies among the Iroquois, by Mrs. E. A. Smith               xxii
  Work by Prof. Otis T. Mason                                   xxii
  The study of gesture speech, by Brevet Lieut. Col.
      Garrick Mallery                                          xxiii
  Studies on Central American picture writing,
      by Prof. E. S. Holden                                      xxv
  The study of mortuary customs, by Dr. H. C. Yarrow            xxvi
  Investigations relating to cessions of lands by Indian
      tribes to the United States, by C. C. Royce              xxvii
  Explorations by Mr. James Stevenson                            xxx
  Researches among the Wintuns, by Prof. J. W. Powell          xxxii
  The preparation of manuals for use in American research      xxxii
  Linguistic classification of the North American tribes      xxxiii


ACCOMPANYING PAPERS.
                                                                Page.

ON THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE, BY J. W. POWELL.

  Process by combination                                           3
  Process by vocalic mutation                                      5
  Process by intonation                                            6
  Process by placement                                             6
  Differentiation of the parts of speech                           8

SKETCH OF THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, BY J. W. POWELL.

  The genesis of philosophy                                       19
  Two grand stages of philosophy                                  21
  Mythologic philosophy has four stages                           29
  Outgrowth from mythologic philosophy                            33
  The course of evolution in mythologic philosophy                38
  Mythic tales                                                    43
    The Cĭn-aú-äv Brothers discuss matters of importance
      to the Utes                                                 44
    Origin of the echo                                            45
    The So´-kûs Wai´-ûn-ats                                       47
    Ta-vwots has a fight with the sun                             52

WYANDOT GOVERNMENT, BY J. W. POWELL.

  The family                                                      59
  The gens                                                        59
  The phratry                                                     60
  Government                                                      61
    Civil government                                              61
    Methods of choosing councillors                               61
    Functions of civil government                                 63
    Marriage regulations                                          63
    Name regulations                                              64
    Regulations of personal adornment                             64
    Regulations of order in encampment                            64
    Property rights                                               65
    Rights of persons                                             65
    Community rights                                              65
    Rights of religion                                            65
    Crimes                                                        66
    Theft                                                         66
    Maiming                                                       66
    Murder                                                        66
    Treason                                                       67
    Witchcraft                                                    67
    Outlawry                                                      67
    Military government                                           68
    Fellowhood                                                    68

ON LIMITATIONS TO THE USE OF SOME ANTHROPOLOGIC DATA, BY J. W. POWELL.

  Archæology                                                      73
  Picture writing                                                 75
  History, customs, and ethnic characteristics                    76
  Origin of man                                                   77
  Language                                                        78
  Mythology                                                       81
  Sociology                                                       83
  Psychology                                                      83

A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF THE NORTH
AMERICAN INDIANS, BY H. C. YARROW.

  List of illustrations                                           89
  Introductory                                                    91
  Classification of burial                                        92
  Inhumation                                                      93
    Pit burial                                                    93
    Grave burial                                                 101
    Stone graves or cists                                        113
    Burial in mounds                                             115
    Burial beneath or in cabins, wigwams, or houses              122
    Cave burial                                                  126
  Embalmment or mummification                                    130
  Urn burial                                                     137
  Surface burial                                                 138
    Cairn burial                                                 142
  Cremation                                                      143
    Partial cremation                                            150
  Aerial sepulture                                               152
    Lodge burial                                                 152
    Box burial                                                   155
    Tree and scaffold burial                                     158
    Partial scaffold burial and ossuaries                        168
    Superterrene and aerial burial in canoes                     171
  Aquatic burial                                                 180
  Living