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The arrangement of the Ethnological Hall, on the first floor of 

 the North Wing, which was opened to the public on the last day 

 of November, shows, although not complete in all details, what 

 it is expected will be done in continuing the ethnological exhibit 

 in the new wing. 



The plans when completed, will, I think, make this one of the 

 best organized and the most important and thoroughly educa- 

 tional anthropological exhibits in this country, and it is hoped 

 that each succeeding year will mark a step in advance. 



The Ethnological Hall was opened to the public on November 

 30th last, the collections having been arranged under the 

 supervision of Dr. Boas ; but on the completion of the new 

 wing, this hall will be restricted to the tribes of the Northwest 

 Coast of America. To this end, much work has been done in 

 classifying and labeling, and in making special exhibits and 

 groups to illustrate certain phases and peculiarities in the customs 

 and arts of the people. For this purpose many models of human 

 figures, and parts of figures, were needed, and various contriv- 

 ances had to be designed to show and explain the use of par- 

 ticular specimens. To carry out this system, an extensive knowl- 

 edge of the objects is required, as also the expenditure of much 

 thought, labor and money. 



As the collections on the west side of the hall, representing the 

 Eskimo, the northern Mexican tribes, and the Melanesians, are 

 soon to be transferred to the new wing to make room for the 

 expansion of the West Coast exhibit, the details of arrangement 

 in these cases have not been carried out as in those on the oppo- 

 site side of the hall, containing the West Coast material. 



The single case containing the model of an Indian Village of 

 British Columbia, is an illustration of a large series of exhibits 

 by means of which the various homes of different peoples are 

 to be shown in connection with their life, customs and arts. 

 Another series of groups will show the dependence of a people 

 on their environment and on the natural products of then- 

 country. In one exhibit the uses of the various products of the 

 cedar tree are illustrated, this tree being of extreme importance 

 to the people of our Northwest Coast. 



