The evening times., 1896-09-05

nearly number II 900 while the total num-
Der is about "a ,0oD.
The establishment Of the astro- physical
observatory in 1891 is also the outcome Of
the instit ution, and its ot .ect is to further
the new branch OF astronomy, as to the
finding of the places of the stars, moon and
the sun, and also to discover how they affect
the earth and the warmth of ME non it.
The special feature of the observatory
in Washington has been the continuatio of
the famous researches in regard to that in
visible portion of the solar spectrum which
lies beyond the limit of the red, which had
been begun by Mr.. Langley while director
of the Allegheny Observatory.
The exploration OF this great unknown
region" which was first rendered possible
by the invention OF the bolometer is now
being carried still further by means of u
new method, much preferred during the
last four years, Which has rendered itpossi-
bic 10 produce. ccInnlete map by an auto-
matte and absolutely trustworthy process,
which shows the. lines that resemble the
so-called Frauemhofer lines in the upper
spectrum.
The results already obtained are be-
lieved to be tile most important ever
reached in regard TO that region of the spec
trum of which so little is known, and which
included the greater portion OF all those
energies OF the sun which. through its heat,
aIleCiS cilIldle anu tuc crops.
The establishment of National Zoolog
ical Park is also due to'the Smithsonian In
stitution, and theact OF Congress was passed
in 1890, as a result OF desire to Sc
cure the preservation of such American
animals as are on the verge of extinction
and will soon vanish il something is not.
done TO protect them.
STUDYING THE INDIAN
The, Bureau of American Ethnology is the
outcome OF activities begun early in the
history OF the. institution, and the results
have been the collection of most valuable
Information concerning the affinities of
the Indian tribes and n guide to grouping
them on the reservation. In 1879 this
bureau was given special appropriation by
Congress with the understanding that the
researches should be SO extended as to EN-.
brace the habits and customs of the Amer
ican Indians, their tribal organizations and
government, and their myths and cerc-
monials. Major J.. W. Powell is the direc-
tor of this bureau.
The annual reports of the bureau, twelve
in number, and nine volumes of "Contri-
buttons to North American Ethnology,"
with the bulletin of the bureau, form con-
siderable library in themselves. Tie ar
chives still contain much unpublished ma
terial. including hundreds of v0cabularies.
A complete linguistic classification OF the
native languages OF the United States las
beenpreparej by the director, and an effect
ed classification of the tribes on the .reserva
tions, reducing materially the danger OF
warlike outbreaks, has already been ac-
complished.
Important texplorationsof OF the western con,
tineDt have been made by the bureausstaff,
especially those of Stevenson, Cushing.
Fewkes and the Mindeleffs, among the
Pueblo people and the ruins OF the south
west those Of Holmes among the prehis-
toric quarry sites and villages OF the east
ern part of the continent: those of Thomas
among the mounds OF the Mississippi valley,
and of MoGee among the Papago and Seri
Indians; OF the Mexican boundary, and tie
notable explorations of Powell himself
among the tribes OF Utah, California, Ari-
zona and New Mexico.
Next week the Smithsonian Institution