Washington

A government agency is investigating a private collection of artefacts held by the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Lawrence Small, to see if they were taken from endangered species.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service began an earlier investigation into Small's collection of masks, head-dresses and costumes of South American origin after pictures appeared in the January 2000 issue of Smithsonian, the institute's monthly magazine. Officials at the service apparently suspected that the pictures included feathers from protected bird species and teeth from endangered cats.

The original investigation ended earlier this year after Small provided import permits and a letter detailing the 1988 purchase of the collection from an undisclosed seller. A spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Service declined to give the reason behind the reopening. A spokesman for the Smithsonian said that Small is cooperating with the investigation.

Trading of items from endangered species violates the 1973 Endangered Species Act, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and other federal laws. Penalties include confiscation, fines and even imprisonment.

The investigation is not the only controversy Small has faced. His proposal to streamline research at the Smithsonian by closing two research centres was sharply criticized by scientists. Earlier this year, Small reversed his decision to close one, the Conservation and Research Center in Virginia. And a Senate budget subcommittee recently voted to maintain funding for the other, the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education in Maryland.