38(5 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1!>03. 



series, the latter particularly with regard to ornament and develop- 

 ment of >st>"le in the artistic manifestations of the Indian tribes. The 

 Mexican sculpture hall is equall}^ rich and still more imposing. Here 

 are casts, some of them colored, of monoliths, stehe, idols, altars, pil- 

 lars, walls, etc., of the ruins of Mexico and Central America, the origi- 

 nals of which still lie, with few exceptions, in the tropical thickets 

 among the remains of ancient temples. There are also original stone 

 sculptures from Copan and Yucatan, as well as ceramic and kindred 

 collections relating to ancient Central American civilizations. Among 

 these I may mention particularly the great series of nephrite, jadeite, 

 and chloromelanite specimens. "^ 



«The finest ami most comprehensive collection of such nephrite and jadeite from 

 all parts of the earth is in possession of H. R. Bishop, 881 Fifth avenue, New York, 

 who has prepared a great work concerning them; it cost $40,000 to prepare the illus- 

 trationn alone. In 1908, after the death of Mr. Bishop, this collection was incorporated 

 in the IMetropolitan ]\Iuseum of Art in New York, which has thus acquired an ines- 

 timal)]e treasure. 



I add here a more detailed description of the ethnographic-archeological collection. 



Two rooms on the first floor are devoted to ethnology, one on the second floor to 

 North American archeology, particularly collections from the Pueblo region; the 

 third floor (gallery) contains South American collections; the fourth, collections 

 from Mexico and Central America. Four additional rooms in the southwest corner 

 of the museum, which has just been completed, are to be devoted likewise to anthro- 

 pology; on the first floor a continuation of the ethnological collections; on the sec- 

 ond, of the collections of North American archeology; on the third, of the collections 

 of South American archeology; on the fourth, continuation of the Mexican collec- 

 tions. The ethnographic halls contain especially quite complete collections from the 

 North Pacific coast of America, from the Eskimos from northeast America, from the 

 islands of the Pacific Ocean, among them a series of old specimens in particularly 

 good condition from New Zealand, Hervey, Fiji, Samoa, etc. (such as may also be 

 found in Cambridge, Boston, and Salem), and excellent collections from Mexico. 

 Africa and Asia (excepting the Ainos) are as yet scarcely represented. [There have 

 since been received large collections from China.] The annual report for 1899 says, 

 on i)age 18, "Our collections from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and many of the 

 South Sea Islands are very poor." 



The collections from the North Pacific coast depict the life in its different aspects. 

 A group of four figures of natural size shows the domestic life of the Indians of this 

 region, and at the same time the important part which the cedar plays in then- 

 economy. Alongside of it the employment of natural products is represented. 

 Then comes a row of cases to represent the following categories: Art and industry 

 products, household utensils, travel and transportation, hunting and fishing, war, 

 clothing and ornaments, trade and exchange, music, decorative art, totemism, and 

 religious ideas In this row of cases are brought together the general characteristics 

 of the North Pacific culture. Then follow cases sliowiug the particular cliaracteristics 

 of the Tlingit, Ilaida, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl, Nutka, and the Salish tribes of British 

 Colund^ia and the State of Washington. 



The collection is nnportant for an understanding of the artistic style of the Indians, 

 particularly on account of the already well-explained objects from the North Pacific 

 coast, for an understanding of the basket making of the States of Washington and 

 California and of the style of ornaments of the Indians of the plains and western 

 Mexico, etc 



Toward the close of 1899 the Mexican sculpture room was openetl, of which I have 



