make an elegant appearance ; across the breast is 

 stretched a most elaborate drapery, composed ol' se- 

 veral thousand pieces of mother-o*-pearl, each sepa- 

 rately drilled and fastened together in a manner that 

 would be found dillicult for an European artist to 

 copy, even with the advantage of iron tools, which 

 were totally unknown to these islandeKs. 

 • This very interesting article was (with many other 

 valuable curiosities) presented to the Museum by Sir 

 Joseph Banks, whose liberality and patronage of 

 every thing connected with the promotion and dif- 

 fusion of knowledge and science, are too well known 

 to be noticed here. 



In the same Case are two of the monstrous and un- 

 couth Idols, made by the natives of these islands. 

 The ground is of wicker, worked into a rude and 

 enormous representation of the human head. They 

 are covered with red feathers, and the mouth (near a 

 foot long) is thickly set with teeth of the seal. The 

 eyes are composed of pieces of mother-o*-pearl, with 

 a round knob of black wood In the centre, and the 

 head of one of them is rendered more terrific by 

 being adorned by a large quantity of the snaky 

 tresses of the natives. 



A fine Feather Helmet and Cloak from the Sand- 

 wich Islands, presented to the Museum by the Rev. 

 Dr. Clarke ; and an extremely curious pair ot Brace- 

 lets, made of boar's teeth, presented by Mr. G. 

 Humphrey. 



On the Rail of the Gallery are hung a number of 

 the weapons, &c. of the South Sea Islanders, among 

 which are — 



Tabooing Rods, or Wands. One of them is made 

 of a beautiful close-grained red wood, and is pointed ^ 



