REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 33 



service, including prayers over the bread and wine, which is known as 

 Kiddush or "sauctification." The head of the family has in front of him 

 a plate containing two loaves of bread, covered by a cloth, of which 

 there is a specimen in the collection. This cloth, called Kiddush cloth, 

 contains the prayers to be recited, and representations of the Temple, 

 etc., evidently after old wood cuts. The practice of saying a blessing 

 before eating is referred to, I Samuel ix, 13. It no doubt had its origin 

 in the fact tbat a public meal of any sort was usually preceded by a 

 sacrifice. "Asking the blessing" was common in New Testament times. 

 The later Jews enjoined also that thanks should be returned after the 

 repast. 



At the meal of the Passover eve (probably the same as the " Lord's 

 Supper") special plates were used on which to place cakes of unleavened 

 bread. The collection contains two such, one made of brass containing 

 fantastic figures and a Hebrew inscription, from Constantinople; the 

 other of pewter, manufactured at Teteuhausen (near Gusburg) in Ger- 

 many. 



It was customary among the Jews to reserve a special lamp for use 

 on the eve of the Sabbath only. Oil was burned in these from either 

 six or eight prongs. Seven prongs were never used, because this lamp 

 was not to be of the same shape as the seven-pronged candlestick of 

 the sanctuary. The collection contains two specimens of the form used 

 by the Jews of Germany, one having been manufactured in the eigh- 

 teenth century at Fellheim, Germany. 



The collection also contains a map of Palestine and surrounding 

 countries, with the names of places marked in Hebrew characters, a 

 chromo-lithographic restoration of the Tabernacle, a series of photo- 

 graphs of the ruins of ancient synagogues, of the Arch of Titus, and 

 of the exteriors and interiors of the celebrated synagogues of Europe. 



Section of Foods and Textiles. — Upon the return of Mr. Romyn Hitch- 

 cock, from Japan, he reassumed the custody of the collections of Food 

 and Textiles. A greater portion of the year has been consumed in the 

 examination and classification of the material which had accumulated 

 during his absence. He has prepared an index to the collection, show- 

 ing the series to which each specimen has been assigned, and also a 

 list of the specimens in the exhibition series. The labeling of the col- 

 lection of foo<ls of the North American Indians has been completed. 

 The labeling of the collection of textiles has also for the most part been 

 furnished. Mr. Hitchcock, in addition to his regular work, has pre- 

 pared two papers embodying the results of his observations in Japan 

 during 1887 and 1888. These are entitled " The Ancient Pit-dwellers 

 of Yezo," and " The Ainos of Yezo." Both of these papers are pub- 

 lished in this report. 



The number of specimens of textiles in the exhibition, reserve, and 

 duplicate series is 2,211 ; 38 catalogue entries have been made. The 

 number of specimens in the food collection on exhibition, and also in 

 the reserve and duplicate series is 1,111 ; 68 entries have been made 

 in the catalogue. In this total the specimens collected by Mr. Hitchcock, 

 from the Ainos of Japan, are not included. 



In the chemical collection, also under Mr. Hitchcock's care, there are 

 now 457 specimens on exhibition, and 852 specirneps in the reserve and 

 H. Mis. 129, pt. 2 3 



