BPilTISH AND MEDIAEVAL ANTIQUITIES. 71 



these being the only cases in the Department which retained 

 locks of the old pattern. 



Asiatic Saloon. — The fittings of the new wall-cases in the 

 south wing have been completed, and the collection of 

 Japanese poi^celain, as well as some other pieces of oriental 

 ware, have been exhibited. In the north wing new wall- 

 cases have been erected, and the others in the west bay of 

 the saloon cleared of their contents prior to reconstruction. 



Gallery of Religions. — A number of permanent labels have 

 been prepared for the early Christian antiquities, and similar 

 labels affixed to the collection of gilded glass from the 

 catacombs. Seventy rings have been exhibited on velvet 

 mounts in the same room. A number of recently acquired 

 Graeco-Buddhist sculptures have been cleaned and mounted 

 on stone or wooden plinths, while two standard cases, trans^ 

 f erred from the department of Prints and Drawings, have 

 been re-fitted for the exhibition of the smaller and more 

 elaborate specimens of that period. A collection of ancient 

 Indian beads has been mounted and placed in a table-case 

 of the Buddhist room, and new fittings provided for the 

 exhibition of Buddhist statuettes and other objects from 

 Ceylon. 



A'liierican Room. — The windows have been blocked up 

 and skylights inserted in the roof. New fittings have been 

 prepared for the exhibition of objects from the Freer 

 collection. 



Ethnographical Gallery. — A large consignment from 

 Borneo has been unpacked, and classified with expert assist- 

 ance. The collection from Torres Straits has been cleaned 

 and re-arranged, and specimens of jade axes from New 

 Zealand mounted in a frame. The Tahiti section has been 

 entirely re-arranged, and additional fittings provided for this 

 purpose. A series of weapons, originally arranged as trophies 

 over the wall-cases, have been distributed in their proper 

 sections. A representative collection of Indian basket-work 

 from California has been classified, and space for its exhibi- 

 tion obtained by compressing the North American collection. 

 Stands for two canoes in this section, and also for several 

 Eskimo dresses, have been provided, while other canoes have 

 been suspended on the wall. 



Waddesdon Room. — The objects bequeathed by Baron 

 Ferdinand Rothschild have been cleaned, labelled, and exhi- 

 bited, in eleven cases specially constructed. Besides the 

 handbook to the collection, a complete catalogue has been 

 prepared with several photographic plates, and will be 

 published by the Trustees in the course of 1901. The room 

 was opened to the public on April 9th. 



The registration of current acquisitions has been continued, 

 and 856 objects have been added, while 462 ethnographical 

 specimens have been drawn and described. 



