14 Dnrctor's Annua/ Report. 



Publications. During the year the Trustees authorized the 

 publication of the first part of the Memoirs of the Museum con- 

 taining an illustrated account of Hawaiian Feather Work b}^ the 

 Direcflor. The edition of this work was limited to 300 copies. 



The exchanges established by means of our publications have 

 already brought good returns : in no case has an exchange been 

 declined, and it will be seen by the list of exchanges appended 

 that maii>" of the most important institutions pursuing the same 

 lines as this Museum are there represented : some of their most 

 valuable publications are already on our shelves. 



During the year nearly 12,000 labels were printed for the 

 Conchological Department and many hundred for other depart- 

 ments. Large general labels, notices, receipts, tables, letterheads, 

 book plates, etc., have kept our printing office busy, and it has 

 been a ver>- necessary assistance to the work of the Museum. The 

 outfit has proved sufficient, and well suited to our needs. The 

 work of this office has called forth very gratifying approval from 

 some of the best judges abroad. 



Ethnological Department. Early in the year we received 

 from a gentleman on the island of Malekula, New Hebrides, a 

 collecftion of remarkable interest. The sacred tree drums of the 

 New Hebrideans have long been known to ethnologists, but I have 

 seen only one in any of the museums of Europe or America, — that 

 in the Musee de Marine in the Louvre. We have now two fine 

 specimens. What the wood is I am unable to say, but it is of re- 

 markable hardness and high specific gravity. The labor of exca- 

 vating the interior through the long longitudinal slit which is only 

 two inches wide must have been excessive. The drums are placed 

 in Pohmesian Hall and one is shown in Fig. i. The total height 

 is 9 ft. 8 in.; circumference at base, 43 in.; length of slit, 47 in. 

 The drum not figured is smaller, the dimensions being 8 ft. 3 in. 

 high, 31 in. in circumference, slit 39 in. long, 2 in. wide. Photo- 



