NOVBMBEB 27, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



747 



pology in the United States National Museum, 

 one of tlie founders and past president of the 

 Washington Anthropological Society, and an 

 eminent worker in ethnology of world-wide 

 reputation. 



Professor Mason was born in Eastport, 

 Maine, April 10, 1838, and was a descendant 

 of several of the oldest American families. 

 He graduated in 1861, master of arts, from 

 the Columbian University, in Washington, 

 D. C, and was later made doctor of phi- 

 losophy and doctor of laws by the same in- 

 stitution. From 1862 to 1884, he was prin- 

 cipal of the Columbian Preparatory School. 



His anthropological researches began at the 

 Smithsonian Institution, in 1872. In 1874, 

 he was made a collaborator in ethnology, and 

 began to arrange the hitherto unclassified 

 anthropological collections. From these be- 

 ginnings have grown the present ethnological 

 and archeological exhibits of the National 

 Museum, and its department of anthropology. 



In 1884, Professor Mason gave up the 

 directorship of the Columbian Preparatory 

 School and thenceforth devoted all his time to 

 the United States National Museum, as cura- 

 tor of ethnology, and, finally, as the head of the 

 much-enlarged and reorganized department. 



Professor Mason was an invaluable ofiicer 

 of the Smithsonian Institution; a gentleman 

 of the old school — delighting all who came in 

 contact with him by his cheer, bravery under 

 many personal adversities, ready wit, and 

 optimism; a rare friend, help, and a constant 

 inspiration to his associates; and a highly 

 prolific and able worker in his chosen branch 

 of research. He contributed to the litera- 

 ture of archeology and especially ethnology, 

 uninterruptedly (excepting during his periods 

 of illness) from 1874 until the end — his last 

 completed paper appearing from the printer's 

 hands on the day of his burial. He further 

 contributed to the progress of anthropology 

 by his museum exhibits, by special exhibits 

 during expositions, and by courses of lectures 

 in the Columbian University as well as out- 

 side of Washington. He organized and pro- 

 moted the Saturday lectures in the National 

 Museum. He was for years an associate 

 editor of the American Naturalist j and as- 



sisted in Harper's " Annual Eecord of Science 

 and Industry." In 1879, in company with J. 

 M. Toner and Garrick Mallery, he partici- 

 pated in the first steps which resulted in the 

 foundation of the Washington Anthro- 

 pological Society. In 1889, his studies were 

 declared by the French minister of instruc- 

 tion to be of public utility. In 1890, he was 

 appointed a member of the national board of 

 geographic names; and in the course of time 

 he became a member of the leading anthro- 

 pological societies in our own country and 

 abroad. 



The scientific work of Professor Mason was 

 directed mainly to the American natives and 

 covered a vast field of human activities. He 

 was not able to personally carry on field work, 

 but he described with rare precision and care 

 the collections gathered in the Smithsonian 

 Institution, and he brought together and col- 

 lated much dispersed knowledge. And he had 

 the rare gift of presenting the scientific data 

 in such a style and manner that his works 

 can be read with profit and pleasure by men 

 and women of intelligence in all vocations. 

 In some of the fields which he cultivated, such 

 as that of American basketry, he covered the 

 subject until but little can be added. 



Most of Professor Mason's writings were 

 published in the media of the Smithsonian 

 Institution. A few of his principal contribu- 

 tions to science are : " The Latimer Collection 

 of Antiquities from Porto Eico " (1876) ; 

 " Throwing- Sticks in the National Museum " 

 (1884) ; " Cradles of the American Aborig- 

 ines " (1887) ; " Aboriginal Skin-Dressing " 

 (1889) ; " North American Bows, Arrows, and 

 Quivers" (1893); "Primitive Travel and 

 Transportation " (1894) ; " Migration and the 

 Food Quest " (1894) ; " Aboriginal American 

 Harpoons " (1900) ; " Aboriginal American 

 Basketry " (1884 and 1902) ; and many con- 

 tributions in the " Handbook of American 

 Indians " (1907, B. A. E.). 



During the last four years, Professor 

 Mason's aim, only partly accomplished, was to 

 describe, in a thorough manner, the basketry, 

 traps, etc., of Malaysia, represented in the 

 National Museum by the rich W. L. Abbott 

 collections. 



