KEPOKT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 19 



Paris. It coriisists mainly of ethnological niatorials collected from the 

 Indian tribes of the middle- western section of the United States. 



INSTALLATION WORK. 



Division of EthnoJixjij. — The installation work of the Division of 

 Ethnoloo-y i« under the direct supervision of Prof. O. T. Mason, 

 curator, who has been ably supported by Dr. Walter Hough, assistant 

 curator, and T. W. Sweeny, preparator. Dr. J. Walter Fewk(\s and 

 Mrs. M. C Stevenson have most generously lent their aid in the 

 Pueblo section, and the head curator has taken an active part in plan- 

 ning and promoting the work. The following halls and galleries are 

 occupied by the division: West North Range, North West Range, 

 North West Court Gallery, West Hall, and West Hall Gallery, north 

 side. 



Collections illustrating many of the Indian tribes of the United 

 States and Canada have been assembled in the West North Range 

 whose walls are occupied l)y the great series of Catlin paintings, an 

 appropriate association, considering that the peoples represented in 

 the collections are in large part those among whom Catlin worked. 

 The principal series of cases have been arranged to form two sets of 

 alcoves, eight on the south side and eight on the north, each alcove 

 devoted to a single ethnographic province. 



Although the exhibits are not yet as complete as could be desired, 

 they form undoubtedly the most complete exposition of the great 

 group of tribes represented ever brought together. 



Within the alcoves the collections are grouped as to subject-matter, 

 first by tribes and second by industrial or other cultural concepts, 

 such as costume, weapons, and basketry. The installation unit is the 

 case, the half case, and the unit box. The labels are carefully drawn 

 up to serve as a key to the classification and grouping. The alcove 

 labels, standing for ethnic provinces are of generous dimensions and 

 are placed at the back of the alcoves, above the wall cases. The case 

 or section labels, standing for ethnic and industrial subdivisions, are 

 smaller and are placed against the upper edge of the cases or at other 

 points in close connection with the exhibits to which thev pertain. 



Brief individual labels are employed in connection with the speci- 

 mens. The system of labeling is carried out, so far as it happens to 

 be applicable, in the other halls of the Department. 



The wide aisle extending lengthwise of the hall accommodates a 

 series of large cases occupied mainly b}^ lay-figure groups. It is 

 intended that the floor space in each alcove shall, in time, contain a 

 family group illustrating some typical tribe of the province repre- 

 sented by the alcove; but as this is not practicable at present, house 

 groups on a small scale, showing how the people of the province live, 

 are used, or otherwise miscellaneous exhibits are introduced to fill the 

 spaces. 



