REPORTS ON THE COLLECTIONS. 



REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY. 

 By Walter Hough, Acting Head Curator. 



On the appointment of Dr. W. H. Holmes as director of the 

 National Gallery of Art on July 1, 1920, the curator of ethnology 

 was appointed acting head curator of anthropology. 



A consistent growth is observed in the department year by year. 

 Relieved of responsibilities lately connected with divisions of the 

 museum not germane to its work, it has moved forward more rapidly. 

 The department as now administered comprises the divisions of 

 physical anthropology, ethnology, American archeology, and Old 

 World archeology, which are closely knit sciences, and the sections 

 of musical instruments, ceramics, and art textiles. These branches 

 record commendable progress during the period of this report. 



Administration of the division of ethnology and the sections of 

 art textiles, musical instruments, and ceramics was continued by the 

 acting head curator, also cooperation with the division of history in 

 respect to installations and anthropological laboratory preparations 

 in the section of period costumes. 



ACCESSIONS DESERVING SPECIAL NOTICE. 



The accessions generallj'^ were of diversified character and tending 

 to improve the collections. They were acquired at negligible ex- 

 pense. The crowded condition of the museum, necessitating the ac- 

 ceptance of desirable collections only by gift or bequest without 

 conditions, has limited the accession of loans. The accessions of the 

 year, therefore, are mainly a permanent gain to the museum. 



Of exceptional value and interest to the division of ethnology is 

 the collection of California Indian baskets from the Missions, a 

 supplementary gift from Miss Ella F. Hubby, of Pasadena and New 

 York. A blanket robe of dog and mountain goat hair, woven by the 

 Cowichan Indians of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, decorated 

 with a Chilkat totemic painting in soft colors, is a unique specimen 

 gift of Mrs. Charles C. Plyde of Washington, D. C. A single specimen 

 of ancient Hawaiian wood carving in form of an image of a god 

 can probably not be duplicated. It was collected by Rear Admiral 

 J. V. B. Bleecker, United States Navy, many years ago. The image 

 is of the Easter Island type. A collection of the very scarce ma- 



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