REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 63 



Brazil and Peru, and a few specimens of birds, mammals, seed, and 

 a fish-trap used by the natives of Venezuela. 



ASIA. 



Commodore R. W. Shufeldt, U. S. Navy, presented a Damascus sword 

 and eight knives mounted in ivory and gold, of xVrab manufacture, from 

 Muscat, given to him by the Sultan of Zanzibar. N. Carandonis de- 

 posited a Grecian bowl from an Ephesiau tomb, and an ancient costume 

 found in a cavern at the castle on the island of Calunmos. Mr. Otis 

 Bigelow presents a considerable collection of ethnological objects from 

 Egypt and the Holy Land. Other objects of similar character were re- 

 ceived from the Department of State after the close of the New Orleans 

 Exposition, as was also an important collection of minerals from Teheran, 

 Persia. 



Mr. William H. Dall presents a model of a Madras catamaran, obtained 

 by Rev. C. H. A. Dall, and other articles from India. Mr. A. G. Studer, 

 U. S. consul at Singapore, sent through the State Department the im- 

 plements and materials used by those who chew the betel-nut, and also 

 a collection of the native woods of Singapore. 



Various single objects and small collections, ethnological and zoolog- 

 ical, from other portions of the East Indies, were received from different 

 individuals. 



From China the accessions were for the most part obtained through 

 the State Department after the close of the New Orleans Exposition, 

 and included a number of interesting products of the native arts, and a 

 series of specimens illustrating the ramie industry of that country. 

 Dr. Bethune McCarthy, for nearly half a century a medical missionary in 

 China and Japan, has given and deposited a small but very useful and 

 interesting collection of books, pictures, and other objects. 



From Corea, Ensign J. B. Bernadou, U. S. Navy, obtained a large and 

 valuable collection, including fishes, marine invertebrates, cephalopods, 

 pottery, ethnological material, and drugs. Some of the pottery in this 

 collection is said to be from three hundred to seven hundred years old. 



In addition to this collection three specimens of lacquered ware — cup, 

 can, and tube — which were exhibited at the New Orleans Exposition, 

 were added to the ethnological collection. 



From Japan was received a collection of minerals presented by Gen- 

 eral Thomas B. Van Buren, U. S. consul at Kanagawa. 



A very beautiful helmet of silver, with bosses of steel and with leather 

 cape, lined with embroidered silk, was presented by D. W. Zantzinger, 

 of Washington. 



An interesting series of bird-skins from Japan was given by Henry 

 Seebohm, of London, besides variou i smaller collections. The most 

 important of all the accessions from Japan was a most instructive series 

 of ninety-two specimens, illustrating the manufacture of pottery and 

 porcelain, showing the materials, appliances, the objects in various 



