54 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1904. 



native architecture, sculpture, ceramics, fabrics, metal work, and of the 

 development in water craft, musical instruments, pipes, ceremonial 

 objects, etc. The most striking feature of the exhibit is a series of 

 five, models of ancient Aztec ruins in Mexico; namely, the "Temple 

 of the Cross" at Palenque, Chiapas; the ""Temple of the Columns" at 

 Mitla, Oaxaca; the temple of Xochicalco at Morales; the "Castle" at 

 Chichen-Itza, Yucatan; and the '"House of the Governor" at Uxmal, 

 Yucatan. The collection also contains a number of plaster rusts of 

 some of the most famous religious sculptures of the Assyrians, Egyp- 

 tians, Greeks, and Romans. 



In biology the most conspicuous objects are the cast and skeleton 

 of a sulphur-bottom whale, about 80 feet long, taken off the coast of 

 Newfoundland. Many of the larger mammals of the world are repre- 

 sented by especially fine examples of the art of taxidermy, among them 

 being the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, lion, tiger, giraffe, moose, cari- 

 bou, axis-deer, sambur-stag, antelope, wild sheep, chamois, etc., and 

 many birds of popular interest, such as game birds, birds of paradise, 

 pheasants, the vulture, pelican, etc. A specimen of the curious hoact- 

 zin of Guiana, South America, with its nest, eggs, and young, occupies 

 a case by itself, and the great egg of the iEpyornis, a now extinct 

 bird of Madagascar, is represented. Deep-sea fishes and some of the 

 large species of reptiles are shown in the form of models, and there is 

 also a fine display of butterflies, including many large and brilliant 

 forms from tropical America and the Old World. An especial^ inter- 

 esting feature is a reproduction of the "Children's Room" in the 

 Smithsonian building at Washington. 



The most striking specimens in the Department of Geology are 

 restorations of the large extinct Stegosaur and Triceratops, along- 

 side of which have been placed the skeletons of a mastodon and an 

 elephant, by way of contrast. Dr. George P. Merrill, in charge of 

 this Department, has also brought together a very interesting collec- 

 tion of meteorites, including casts of some of the largest ones known, 

 such as that discovered by Lieutenant Peary in Greenland, and the 

 Bacubarito meteorite found in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico. The 

 mineral exhibit embraces some of the most beautiful varieties from 

 all parts of the world, and is supplemented by two other collections, 

 showing the various forms of silica and of carbonate of calcium. 

 Among the fossil invertebrates are many interesting forms, and 

 among the vertebrates are fishes, reptiles, a pterodactyl, and a com- 

 plete skeleton of a moa, a large extinct flightless bird. 



The official report upon the exposition by Doctor True will appear 

 in the next annual report. 



Lewis and Clark Msposition. — On April 13, 1904, the President of 

 the United States approved the bill (S. 270) providing for the celebra 



