DEPARTMENT OF PREHISTORIC ANTHROPOLOGY. 



135 



Porto Rico. G. Latimer. 



Dos Novillos, Costa Rica. M. C. Keith. 



Subtiaba, Nicaragua. E. G. Squier. 



Subtiaba, Nicaragua. E. G. Squier. 



Cast of stone seat, figured, from Ecuador — 



collection of Antoneo M. Herrera, Lima, 



Peru. 

 Dos Novillos, Costa Rica. 

 Dos Novillos, Costa Rica. 

 Costa Rica. M. C. Keith. 

 Costa Rica. M. C. Keith. 

 Dos Novillos, Costa Rica. 

 Dos Novillos, Costa Rica. 

 Chiriqui, Pan:ima. J. A. McNeil. 

 Costa Rica. M. C. Keith. 

 Volcano Cartago, Costa Rica. Cast from 



original in the American Mus. Nat. Hist. 



Capt. J. M. Dow. 



M.C.Keith. 

 M.C.Keith. 



M. C. Keith. 

 M.C.Keith. 



The arrangement of this department of the Museum has been princi- 

 pally according- to the implement or object. Arrow and spear points 

 have been arranged in separate cases, divided according to their various 

 forms. Grooved axes have been placed together, polished stone hatchets 

 together, mortars, pestles, hammers, pitted stones, etc., have been gener- 

 ally placed together without regard to locality from which they came, 

 the era or epoch to which they belonged, or their period of civilization. 

 The exhibits received from the Bureau of Ethnology have been displayed 

 in the upright cases, and there each find has been placed by itself, and, 

 so far as possible, separated from all other finds. But in this arrange- 

 ment no attempt has been made to preserve the unity of neighborhoods 

 in respect of locality. The contents of mounds from Maine and Geor- 

 gia may be found together in one case, while the collections from neigh- 

 boring mounds in either State, it may be at different times and of 

 different accessions, may be found in other parts of the hall associated 

 with the contents of mounds from other and different parts of the 

 United States. 



It is highly j)roper that it should be so changed as that contiguous 

 objects should be displayed together. Things that belong together 

 should be displayed together. I have recognized the necessity for this 

 work, but have been loth to commence it, for it would require the in- 

 spection and handling of every object in the Museum, and this would 

 mean an examination as to the locality from which it came, the people 

 to whom it belonged, and a consideration of and decision upon the his- 

 tory and purpose of each. This can not be done by mechanics or labor- 

 ers, but would require the continual labor and attention of Mr. Upham 

 or myself, or perhaps both, and would be a labor of such extent and 

 duration that I am loth to attack it. My little experience in a like at- 

 tempt in preparing the exhibit for the Cincinnati Exposition confirms 

 me in this feeling. I suppose the work must be done, but " upon the 

 bank I shivering stand, yet fear to launch away." 



This arrangement of the objects in the Museum, geographically or 



