72 



representations of nearly all of the snakes and reptiles found in the 

 United States, and a fine series of manv of the water-birds of the 

 country. 



An attendant was left in charge of the exhibits during the continu- 

 ance of the exposition, and at its close the collections were carefully 

 packed and a majority of them forwarded direct to New Orleans, a 

 few being returned to Washington to be remounted, as a part of larger 

 and more complete collections, before shipping to the New Orleans 

 Exposition. 



THE EXHIBIT AT CINCINNATI. 



The Cincinnati Industrial Exposition is an institution of some years' 

 standing, and receives the cordial support of the most prominent busi- 

 ness men of the city. Expositions have been held here with consid- 

 erable regularity, and a suitable and substantial brick building has 

 been erected by the management. It is located in the heart of the 

 city, and the attendance is usually large. For the season of 1884 the 

 Exposition opened on September 3, closing on the 4th of the following 

 month. 



As most of the space was allotted before the bill authorizing Govern- 

 ment participation in the Exposition had become a law, a second build- 

 ing, to accommodate the Government exhibits, was found necessary, and 

 the management erected a temporary structure near the main entrance, 

 having dimensions of 50 by 200 feet. This was divided between the 

 several Departments, 3,322 square feet, or nearly one-third of the entire 

 building, being allotted the Smithsonian Institution. This space was 

 situated at one end of the structure, thus admitting of a satisfactory 

 and very pleasing installation. 



As soon as the Louisville exhibits were in place, the work of prepar- 

 ing those for Cincinnati was vigorously pushed, and the entire collec- 

 tion, consisting of eighty cases, with a weight of 24,321 pounds, was 

 shipped on August 26, reaching the exposition on September 1. A 

 very large force of men was at once set to work to unpack and install 

 the exhibits, and by the opening of the exposition the arrangement was 

 practically completed. 



As at Louisville, the exhibits were largely educational, and included 

 such objects as it was thought would be most appreciated by those 

 who saw them. One of the striking features was an alcove contain- 

 ing a collection illustrative of the social life and industries of the Es- 

 kimo and the Indians of the Northwest coast ; the dwellings, house- 

 hold utensils, and implements of war, hunting, and fishing, as well as 

 the arts of the two races, being shown in such a manner as to afford 

 accurate means of comparison. A life-size bust, in plaster, of one of the 

 prominent Indian chiefs, and portraits in oil of thirteen others, were 

 also exhibited. Another important feature was a large and valuable 

 collection of minerals yielding gems and ornamental stones. The nat- 

 ural history department contained a small but choice collection of taxi- 



