92 



Field Columbian Museum — Reports, Vol. II. 



Having arrived at these conclusions and noting that installations 

 as yet unlabeled have proven to be more attractive than those 

 rendered distracting by too evident labels, it was decided that the 

 . best background to form a general setting for the contents of a case 

 should be dead black, and the label card be the same, typed in some 

 ink just off the strong contrast that white would make. This ink 

 proved to be aluminum. Plate XIX shows the result in a case devoted 

 to the Amarylls. This case, at a distance of lo feet, appears to be 

 unlabeled, while in fact it contains over thirty cards. Above the 

 photograph at the left of the case is a 6 in. square label describing 

 the Agaves, below it is another of the same size with a full description 

 of Sisal Hemp, the specimens of which, each with its 4^ in. label, 

 occupy this half of the case. Ixtle fiber and its like sized labels in 

 series occupies the left two-thirds of the right side of the case while 

 the Century and Pulque plants fully labeled, complete the installation. 

 Plate XVIII illustrates the same case and installation using the yellow 

 or buff label card. The labels as now adopted are, as previously stated, 

 of dead-black card printed in aluminum ink, and comprise four sizes 

 only: a "case label," placed outside and above each case announcing 

 the systematic order to which the contents belong ; a " generic label," 

 describing the order and its general characters; a "sub-generic label," 

 relating in general, when necessary, to a series of related specimens 

 or to a process illustrated by successive elements; and a "specific 

 label," describing each specimen as an individual. Uniformity with- 

 out monotony is the key-note aimed at throughout the Department, 

 uniformity not only in the cases themselves, but also in the specimen 

 blocks, containers, framings and labels. 



In the Department of Anthropology not only has the work of 

 cataloguing and inventorying kept up with the incoming material, but 

 three unusually large collections have been described. Mr. J. W. 

 Hudson, on returning from expedition late in igoi, began at once the 

 cataloguing and preparing for exhibition of extensive collections 

 made by him in California, as also did Assistant Curator Owen on his 

 return fromTusayan, on the various collections, chiefly archaeological, 

 which had been secured through the generosity of Mr. Stanley 

 McCormick. This latter accession comprised over 8,000 specimens 

 and the necessary work of preparing and properly cataloguing such 

 an extensive collection has consumed the larger portion of Mr. 

 Owen's time. In accordance with the policy inaugurated three 

 years ago the work of overhauling the entire Department has been 

 carried on and as a result all of the exhibition material formerly 

 occupying Hall 4 and including collections from the various Islands 



