A PROBLEM m AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGY. 485 



gaps, which every curator hopes to fill, they should show the life and 

 history of man. To this end the conscientious curator will avoid the 

 expression of special theories, and will endeavor to present the true 

 status of each tribe or group of man in the past and in the present, so 

 far as the material at his command permits. A strictly geographical 

 arrangement is, therefore, the primary principle which should govern 

 the exhibition of anthropological collections. A special exhibit may 

 be made in order to illustrate certain methods by which man in differ- 

 ent regions has attained similar results, either by contact or by natural 

 means. Another exhibit may Ije for the purpose of showing the dis- 

 tribution of corresponding implements over different geographical 

 areas. These and similar special exhibits are instructive, and under 

 proper restrictions should be made, but uidess the design of each 

 exhibit is clearly explained, the average visitor to a museum will be 

 confused and misled, for such objects so grouped convey a different 

 impression than when exhibited with their associated objects in proper 

 geographical sequence. 



The anthropology of America is now being investigated, and the 

 results are being made known through museums and publications as 

 never before. 



The thoroughly equipped Jesup North Pacific expedition, with well- 

 trained anthropologists in charge, was organized for the purpose of 

 obtaining material, both ethnological and archaeological, for a com- 

 parative study of the peoples of the northern parts of America and 

 Asia. Although only in the third ^ear of its active field work, it has 

 already furnished most important results and provided a mass of 

 invaluable authentic material. 



The Hyde expedition, planned for long-continued research in the 

 archaeology and ethnology of the southwest, a successor in regard to 

 its objects to the important Hemenway expedition, is annually adding 

 chapters to the story of the peoples of the ancient pueblos. 



The results of the extensive explorations by Moore of the mounds 

 of the southern Atlantic coast are being published in a series of 

 important monographs. 



The Pepper-Hurst expedition to the Florida Keys has given infor- 

 mation of remarkable interest and importance from a rich archieo- 

 logical field before unknown. 



The United States Government, through the Bureau of P:thnology 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, has given official and liberal support 

 to archaeological and ethnological investigations in America. 



The constantly increasing patronage by wealthy men and women 

 of archaeological research at home, as well as in foreign lands, is most 

 encouraging. 



The explorations in Mexico and in Central and South America, the 

 publication in facsimile of the ancient Mexican and Maya codices. 



