REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 37 



studying tli<'iii. aio only in the rarest instances ever opened after tlieir 

 l)nrcliaser lias left the Museum. 



The t'uMctioii of the label, then, is a most important one, since it is 

 practically only through the aid of the labels that visitors derive any 

 benefit whatever from a visit to a museum. 



What has already been said indicates in a general way the oftice of 

 the descriptive label, and may be exi)ressed more concisely as follows : 



The label must — 



(1) Tell the lumu' of theohject; its exact and technical name always, 

 and if there be one, its common name. 



(2) It must call attention to the features which it is imixtrtant for 

 the visitor to notice. 



(3) It must explain its meaning audits lelations to the other objects 

 in the series. If it accompanies a natural history specimen, it should 

 explain its geographical distribution, which, if possible, sh<)uld be 

 plotted on a small map. forming part of the label, and mentioning 

 peculiarities of structure or habit.* 



If an ethnological object, then its uses and construction should be 

 explained, its materials named if they are not obvious, and supple- 

 mentary information given by means of pictures ; and. where pictures 

 are better than words, these may be substituted. 



(4) The exact locality, date of collection, and source of the S])ecimeu 

 exibited should be mentioned. 



(5) For the convenience of visitors it is well, in many cases, to give 

 the dimensions or weight of the specimen. 



The art of label writing is in its infancy, and there are doubtless pos- 

 sibilities of educational results through the agencj' of labels and speci- 

 mens which are not as yet at all understood. It is clear, however, that 

 the advice of the negro cook in regard to nuiking .soup applies equally 

 well to a good label ; to wit, that much more de})ends on what you leave 

 out than on what you put in. The value of this method of instruction 

 is perhaps better understood by the most advanced writers of school 

 text books and dictioiiaries than even by the average nuiseum worker. 



In Dr. Edwaid Eggieston's new " School History of the Tuited States," 

 engravings are plentifully interspersed through the text, as well as in 

 the margins, — portraits, pictures of historical localities, buildings, cos- 

 tumes, and archieological objects; — and each of these has a label of the 

 museum type, surrounded by rules, and separated from the text with 

 which it has usually only incidental relationship. The originals which 

 are thus illustrated, if brought together would make an admirable 



* We have used in tlie National Museum, in years gone by, labels of ditierent 

 colors to indicate gei)s;raphical sources, and have also used lor the same purpose 

 labels with printed borders of ditfereut colors. This, liowever. has long since been 

 abandoned as cumbersome and impracticable. In most cases a word upon the label 

 is sufficient to convey tliis idea. Hut when it is desired to convey fuller information, 

 a map has great possibilities, for even the exact rang«' of each species may be shown 

 in this wav without materiallv incn^asinsr the size of tlie labels. 



