REPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 27 



COLLECTIONS. 

 DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY. 



The additions to this department were comprised in 317 accessions 

 and amounted to 10,487 objects, of which over two-thirds belonged 

 in the divisions of ethnology and prehistoric archeology. 



Ethnology. — The ethnological accessions exceeded the average of 

 past years in both number and value. The most important one, 

 presented by Dr. W. L. Abbott, consisted of about 600 specimens 

 gathered in "West Borneo, south of the region explored the previous 

 3^ear by this generous contributor. While mainly illustrative of the 

 basket work of the region, it includes a large series of swords, dag- 

 gers, knives, and blowguns, a number of objects of personal adorn- 

 ment and others relating to religious beliefs. The Abbott collection 

 is rapidly becoming one of the most notable of its kind in the world, 

 in view both of its extent and diversity and of the care with which it 

 has been assembled and labeled. Several noteworthy collections 

 from the Philippine Islands were also received. A fine series of 

 weapons, basketry, costumes, models, etc., was donated by Maj. 

 George P. Ahern, U. S. Army, and many costumes, weapons, basketry, 

 and domestic utensils from the Igorot and Ilocano of Luzon were 

 contributed by Maj. E. A. Mearns, U. S. Army, in continuation of 

 his former gifts. Capt. Jesse R. Harris, U. S. Army, presented h\ 

 objects from the Moros of Mindanao, including household utensils, 

 tools, weapons, and musical instruments, and Mr. W. E. Safford, of 

 the Department of Agriculture, 42 examples of the weapons with 

 which Spain in the eighteenth century armed the natives of Guam 

 against attacks by pirates. The latter were made by a native ar- 

 morer, descended from Philippine stock. Many stone and shell 

 implements, pertaining to the extinct Chamorros of Guam, were 

 obtained from Mr. L. H. T. Costenoble. Surg. H. C. Curl, U. S. 

 Xavy, donated a small but excellent collection of Australian weapons 

 and cult objects. A large number of oriental weapons, costumes, 

 and other objects, obtained by United States Senator Albert J. Bev- 

 eridge during his recent travels in the Far East, was secured as a 

 loan for exhibition. The collection includes a series of Filipino and 

 Moro weapons, Japanese swords, spears, and knives, Chinese hats, 

 embroideries, and weapons, among the latter being a jade-handled 

 dagger of exquisite form and w^orkmanship. Xoteworthy also is 

 a huge votive sword of the Tokogawa shoguns. bearing inscriptions 

 of Buddhist texts in Chinese and Sanskrit characters. It is nearly 

 9 feet long and is constructed with all the skill in art for which the 

 Japanese are famous. Another large loan collection of exceptional 

 interest consists of several hundred examples of Japanese metal and 



