56 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1893. 



aifoided opportunities which are not often available iu museums. 

 Indeed the permanence of museum work seems to demand not only 

 greater comj^actness, but more reserve, repose, and dignity than is 

 necessary iu installation for a tem])orary exhibition. 



ENVIRONMENTAL (iROUPS, 



It is not expected that in the ethnographical museum of the future 

 the lay figure will supplant the show case as a means for displaying 

 ethnograi)hic collections; but just as naturalists may feel it legitimate 

 to use a considerable number of cases of animals mounted in the midst 

 of natural surroundings to illustrate their habits or to make impressive 

 memorials of species which are rarely seen or likely to become extin(;t, 

 so will the anthropologist employ figures, not only for the education of 

 the public, but as a more sure means of preserving certain of the most 

 precious memorials of the primitive races of mankind. 



It will soon be time to consider the question to what extent museums 

 arejustitied in the use of environmental groups. It is evident that this 

 may be carried too far and be made tiresome instead of agreeable to 

 visitors, while at the same time producing an effect quite opposite to 

 that of dignified and systematic order, which should be characteristic 

 of every museum. Furthermore, specimens thus mounted, unless the 

 workmanshij) is of the very best and the cases practically perfect and 

 impervious to air, are certain to deteriorate, since it is very difficult to 

 get at them in order to cleanse them and protect them from vermin. 

 The writer has seen neglected cases of this kind in some of the largest 

 government museums of the Old World, which were serious warnings 

 against departure from the practice of individual mounts in cases free 

 from the incnmbrance of accessories. 



In the National Museum a definite limit has been fixed. Environ- 

 mental groups will only be made in the case of the larger inammals and 

 birds which are rarely seen and are on the verge of extinction, or for 

 the purpose of illustrating some very remarkable habit. 



It has been found in the installation of our department of birds 

 that the series of Audubon's j)lates, showing the habits of birds, framed 

 and hung near the exhibition cases, are almost as effective as the 

 groups mounted to illustrate the same ])hases in their habits. 



CONCERNlNCr OOLLECTIONS AND SPECIMENS. 



The following principles in regard to collections and specimens rep- 

 resent in a general way the ideas which underlie all our recent work: 



CoUcctiou.s in general. — Any object which has a name may be used in 

 museum work. It does not follow, however, that any one museum 

 should attempt to include all such objects, nor that there are not many 

 which, in the present stage of museum practice, might not be entirely 

 neglected. 



