56 Washington — Nezv Yoi'k. 



the Wilkes Expedition, were examined and fine specimens of kapa 

 obtained. Among the Hawaiian matters were: 



5 Lei paloa of good quality. Feather cloak. 2 Feather capes 

 (the best one on deposit). Feather lei of Oo. le kuku, the 

 largest seen in any colle(5lion, and several good ones of ordinary 

 size . 



The casts of Australian, Papuan, Maori and Samoan are 

 good in the order named. The Samoan is a most unfortunate 

 selection for type as he is emaciated and shows not a particle of 

 the embonpoint so charadleristic of his race. There were fine Vitian 

 spears and clubs but everything was terribly crowded in a wholly 

 unsuitable building. It is to be hoped that the American people 

 will some day demand that Congress shall appropriate several mil- 

 lions for a proper edifice for this great National colledlion. An 

 agreeable interview was had with Dr. Rathburn at the Fish Com- 

 mission Building. 



In New York was found the American Museum, perhaps the 

 best all round Natural History museum yet vSeen. In the first 

 place the building wastes nothing in mere archite(5lure but is 

 strong, fire-proof, well lighted, capable of extension through the 

 large open space in which it stands, and is accessible and well 

 adapted for its purpo.se. The best building in the world will not 

 make a great or useful museum, and unless the contents are well 

 selec5led, sufficiently numerous and well preserved and arranged 

 both for exhibition and study the house is naught. Here the taxi- 

 dermy was the best seen in any museum, and the labelling was by 

 far the best seen anywhere. Dr. Franz Boaz was rearranging the 

 ethnological portion in a hall on the lower floor, hence the speci- 

 mens were not yet corredlly labelled, so no attempt was made to 

 catalogue those from the Pacific. The collection was rich however 

 in good examples of Polynesian and Papuan work, although per- 

 haps the strongest series is the Alaskan. Groups are frequent 

 illustrating native work, as has been provided for with the Hawaii- 

 ans in the Bishop Museum. As an example of the instru(5lion to 



