[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31512-31513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10819]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural 
History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains in the possession of the 
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY. The human remains 
were removed from Montana.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by American 
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian 
Reservation of Montana.
    According to Museum records, at an unknown date, the naturalist 
Audubon, upon his return from the Rocky Mountains in Montana, gave 
human remains representing a minimum of two individuals to Dr. A. V. 
Williams. Dr. Williams subsequently gifted the remains to the American 
Museum of Natural History in 1900. No known individuals were 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The individuals have been identified as Native American based on a 
catalog description of ``Blackfeet Indians.'' The geographic origin of 
the remains is consistent with the post-contact territory of the 
Blackfeet Nation.
    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described 
above represent the physical remains of two individuals of Native 
American ancestry. Officials of the American Museum of Natural History 
also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between the Native American human remains and the Blackfeet Tribe of 
the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana.

[[Page 31513]]

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Nell 
Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of Natural 
History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, before July 1, 2005. Repatriation of the 
human remains to the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian 
Reservation of Montana may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 20, 2005
Paul Hoffman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 05-10819 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S