REPORT. 



"TNURING the past j-ear the exhibition capacity of the Bishop 

 ■'"^ Museum has been doubled, and so far as the public exhibition 

 of specimens is concerned it would be best to consider that the 

 utmost extent has been reached ; certainly in the Hawaiian depart- 

 ment the new Hawaiian Hall furnishes all the room that should 

 be given up to the public. Onlj^ in one department there is need 

 perhaps of more exhibition room to facilitate classification. At 

 present both Papuan and Polynesian products are exhibited in 

 Polynesian Hall, which is becoming crowded, although the case 

 room was largely increased in 1903, and as our colledlions in this 

 line are likely to increase to a considerable extent, it would be well 

 to open another hall in which the Papuan and Melanesian groups 

 could be kept distinct from the Polynesian and then the limit of 

 exhibition space would be reached. 



This does not mean that the accumulation of specimens is to 

 cease. The more of these for study the better, but the exhibition 

 of long series of similar objedls is unwise, because it tires without 

 instru<5ling thfe average museum vivSitor, and all specimens beyond 

 a few typical ones should be kept in the store rooms for preserva- 

 tion and study. The belief is becoming almost universal in all 

 large museums that the exhibition of specimens to the public 

 should be limited, and in some museums only duplicates are ex- 

 hibited, and this is generally the case on the Natural History side. 

 No Curator would be willing to exhibit type specimens, and with 

 this tropical and very adtinic light, choice birds, shells or other 

 colored specimens should be kept in closed cases or lockers if they 



[195] (3) 



