REPORT OF ASSISTANT .SECRETARY. 55 



The groups of Loucheux and ilupa Indians, aiianged by Prof. 

 Holmes, were also etitective artistically, though lacking the advantages 

 which a personal acquaintance with the tril)e would have given the 

 designs. 



The relative values of costumes and implements displayed upon 

 manikins, and those shelved in cases with tickets explaining their uses, 

 need no discussion. A caution should be written to nniseum men, how- 

 ever, which is that it is very dangerous to try to make such groups except 

 under the eye of an ethnologist who has been among the people to be 

 represented. The object of a reference to these groups is simply to 

 call attention to the fact that something has been done which was 

 never before attempted for the American Indian, and that the result 

 seems to more than justify the efltbrt. 



Experiments are still in i^rogress, and it is believed that figures still 

 more truthful and life-like than any that have yet been produced will 

 be the result. The most serious difficulty to be overcome is in the 

 treatment of the surface of the figures and their coloring. AVe use 

 only plaster of Paris. Wax, which has been so often employed for faces 

 and hands, has been discarded as being too delicate, and not so well suited 

 for life-like effects as plaster. Papier-mache, as has been stated, our 

 workmen can not manipulate so as to produce sufhcient hardness of 

 surface and delicacy of line. The gelatine which has been used for 

 natural history preparations oflers no absolute permanence. Plaster of 

 Paris has only one objection, which is the roughness of its surface. It 

 is now believed that the smoothness and texture of the flesh can be 

 produced by the use of some of the mineral waxes. 



The question of coloring is a more difficult one. Our Japanese figures, 

 on close examination, do not present a uniform hue, but have a solid 

 body color, enlivened by innumerable dots of a much darker tone. 

 These are produced by some spatter-work process, either by spraying 

 from a stiff brush, or by blowing the pigment in a fine spray from the 

 mouth. When viewed at a short distance, the effect is precisely that 

 of living flesh. Experiments are now being made with the air brush, 

 which will doubtless produce the same effect. 



The rei)resentation of human hair, especially of the beard, also pre- 

 sents great difficulties; but it is believed that in time the use of plas- 

 ter and paint will supplant the products of the wig factory. 



It will be observed that the steps of progress in modeling man have 

 been very similar to those in the mounting of the lower animals, and 

 the influence of the skilful American taxidermist has been felt every- 

 where in this work also. 



Allusion has already been made to the taxidermy at the Holub exhi- 

 bition in Prague. The mounting of anthropological groups was even 

 more ambitious and successful, and is illustrated here by three plates, 

 showing a group in action, a group in repose, and a single figure to 

 show details of modeling. [Plates, 53, 54, 55.] In the anthropological 

 as well as the zoological groups, the generous space of the exposition 



