PAPERS OF GENERAL INTEREST 71 



two noteworthy groups and by work on two additional 

 groups. The bear group occupies a case 14 by 20 feet 

 and IS feet high. The circular background painted by 

 Mr. Chas. A. Coi'win depicts one of the canyons in 

 Starved Eock Park. Four bears, a male, female and two 

 cubs, occupy the foreground. Mr. Julius Friessr, head 

 taxidermist at the Field Museum made the group. 



The Indian group, made possible by the generosity of 

 Mr. J. TT. Bunn, represents an incident in the life of the 

 Sacs-Fox Indians one hundred years ago on the banks of 

 the Illinois river where Peoria now stands. In the fore- 

 ground are arranged seven figures — two warriors re- 

 turning with a captive, a chief seated by the fire putting 

 on his mocasins. a boy with bow and arrow in hand, a 

 maiden standing by the door of a bark wigwam -within 

 which an old woman looks up only long enough to glance 

 at the prisoner and then resimie the pounding of corn 

 in a log serving as a mortar. The figures were cast from 

 life at an Indian reservation in Xew York and are there- 

 fore correct anthropological records. The trees, vines, 

 hawks, arrowiDoints and axes of Indian manufacture, the 

 fire; the path -^"inding over the hill; and the Illinois 

 river and blufiFs at the Xarrows, skillfully painted on the 

 curved canvass background, present a very pleasing pic- 

 ture. Both the picture, figures and foreground are the 

 work of Henri Marchand, a one time student of August 

 Eodin and Jerome in Paris. It is thought that this group 

 is unsurpassed by any similar group in the country in 

 ethnographical and artistic merit. 



Two other groups are in preparation: an elk gi'oup 

 and a mushroom group. Mr. Frank H. Connor of Clii- 

 cago sent a party of hunters to "Wyoming in November 

 last and they secured six handsome elk. The skins are 

 now being prepared. They will be displayed in a case 

 28 feet long, 16 feet deep and 18 feet high. 



The most pretentious group thus far undertaken in 

 the museum is one which will be completed it is hoped 

 by May 1st. It will occupy a circular case with a back- 

 ground 60 feet long and extending to the ceiling. The ob- 

 server enterins: the door comes into a small hexagonal 



