38 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 184. 



exposition exhibits has made it somewhat 

 difficult always to secure fresh and inter- 

 esting material for display. To obviate 

 this difficulty in the Anthropological De- 

 partment, it was decided to assemble the 

 limited group of exhibits required, on a plan 

 dififering essentially from that adopted at 

 previous expositions. 



Heretofore the materials have been 

 brought together in a somewhat discon- 

 nected way to illustrate particular peoples, 

 or especial arts or industries. On the present 

 occasion the activities of man are treated 

 from the point of view of their development. 

 The various lines of progress are repre- 

 sented by series of objects each individual 

 typifying a step in the industrial and intel- 

 lectual evolution of the race. 



As the exhibits required had to be drawn 

 from all divisions of the Department, a single 

 series of objects in many cases being made up 

 from the collections of two or more divis- 

 ions or sections, members of the anthropo- 

 logical staff were called upon to act as com- 

 mittees in assembling the exhibits in which 

 they were personally concerned. The full 

 resources of the Museum were thus drawn 

 upon, yet the objects taken were so few in 

 number as not to iuterefere with the pres- 

 ent museum installation. 



Each series of exhibits epitomizes a single 

 branch of art or industry and occupies a 

 single case front or a fraction thereof, and 

 may thus be conveniently seen at one view. 

 The scheme of treatment or presentation is 

 just such as the systematic student would 

 adopt in writing the historj^ of the subject, 

 beginning with the inceptive stages and 

 moving forward step by step tO the highest 

 development. The following subjects are 

 presented, the series beginning at the left in 

 the cases and progressing toward the right : 



The use of fire. The story, illustrated in part 

 by means of colored drawings, begins with 

 the fire of volcanoes and lightning and the 

 carrying of firebrands from these sources 



for rekindling ; it is continued in a series of 

 exhibits showing progressive steps in the 

 making of fire which is illustrated by rub- 

 bing sticks, revolving drills, flint and steel, 

 the lucifer match and devices for producing 

 the electric spark. 



Illumination. Two series of objects are 

 shown, the first illustrating the torch in its 

 many forms, arranged progressively ; the 

 second the lamp, beginning with the stone 

 cup with oil and wick, and ending with the 

 argand burner and the arc light. 



Fishing. Of the various exploitative ac- 

 tivities, so necessary to the sustenance of the 

 race, only one group — the arts of fishing- 

 is represented, others having been omitted 

 for want of space. Series 1 illustrates the 

 dart in its multiplicity of forms, series 2 

 the various toggle devices, series 3 the hook, 

 and series 4 the sinker. 



Domestic arts. Household arts are repre- 

 sented by four series, one epitomizing the 

 history of cooking, and three illustrating 

 utensils and devices employed in eating 

 and drinking — the cup, the spoon and the 

 knife and fork. 



Tools of general use. The history of the 

 more essential tools of human handicraft is 

 epitomized in seven series, each beginning 

 with the simplest forms — mere splinters and 

 masses of stone — and ending with the high- 

 est forms — the marvelous machine- operated 

 tools of to-day. These tools are the hammer, 

 the ax, the adz, the knife, the saw, the drill 

 and the scraper. 



Weapons. "Weapons of war have per- 

 formed a most important part in the his- 

 tory of progress, and the steps that led up 

 from the stone and club, held in the hand, 

 to the steel sword and the compound 

 machine gun are strikingly suggested in 

 the two series presented : 1. "Weapons for 

 use in the hand — piercing and slashing 

 weapons ; and 2. Projectile weapons — the 

 bow and arrow, the cross-bow and the pistol 

 and gun. 



