6G0 ANNUAL REPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 192 8 



characteristic of their art. The prepared human head has undergone 

 a process of shrinking, principally through the removal of the bones 

 of the skull and jaw. It has been dried and smoked over the daily 

 fire used for cooking, the hair being wrapped up in leaves to protect 

 it from the smoke. The Jivaro Indians consider such a prepared 

 head a splendid ornament to be worn about the neck as a trophy. 



The feathers ornamenting the skirt, headdress, and bandoliers 

 are from a bird with soft orange-red plumage that the natives call 

 " cock-of-the-rock," also from a species of toucan with white breast 

 margined with red and yellow tail coverts. The rest of the bird's 

 plumage is black. Each tuft of yellow or of red feathers, therefore, 

 represents the life of one bird. The armlet and back pendant 

 show the characteristic use of metallic-green beetle's elytra. Mon- 

 keys' teeth and the bleached leg bones of birds, together with beads 

 of small disk-shaped black seeds, in part, make up the composition 

 of the bandolier, ear ornaments, and skirt. 



The tribes of the Grand Chaco correspond in .similarity of location 

 with the Plains Indians of North America and, like them, live a rov- 

 ing life. In the collection of costumes of Indians from Paraguay are 

 parts of costumes ornamented with feathers of tropical birds. There 

 are also shown knitted bags resembling those which are found from 

 the pueblo region to temj^erate South America. 



The introduction of the horse among the tribes of the great South 

 American plains had a tremendous effect upon their culture, as it 

 facilitated the hunting of the guanaco and the rhea, and increased 

 their nomadic habits. From the most typical hunting tribe of Pata- 

 gonia, the Tehuelche, are exhibited painted robes of horsehide 

 and vicuna skins, spurs, boots, and other articles of dress connected 

 with their horsemanship. 



In addition to the outstanding collections of costumes from South 

 American tribes to which mention has been made, reference should 

 be made, among others, to the following : From the temperate regions 

 of South America, a robe of rhea skin, collected by J. B. Hatcher 

 from the Tehuelche Indians of Patagonia ; the Hassler collection of 

 netted bags from Paraguay; knitted leggings from Peru, by W. E. 

 Curtis; and gloves of llama wool, by W. E. Safford, who also col- 

 lected and presented a large number of other articles of dress from 

 the Indians of Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile. The 

 large collection of paintings made for W. E. SafTord by a Bolivian 

 Indian show to advantage the dress of various tribes in Bolivia, 

 Ecuador, Tierra del Fucgo, Peru, and other lands in South America. 

 An exchange collection from the Museum of Buenos Aires includes 

 a cord war shirt from the Chorote Indians of the Chaco in the 



