BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY ANNUAL REPORT 1903-4 
W. H. HOLMES , CHIEF 
EXPOSITION WORK . 
The preparation of an exhibit for the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition, begun during the preceding year, was continued, 
and completed shortly after the opening of the exposition 
in May, 1903, This work was under my personal supervision 
who at the same time had charge of the preparation of an 
extensive exhibit for the Department of Anthropology of the 
United States National Museum. As the allotment of #2,000, 
made by the Government Board for the Bureau exhibit, was too 
small to warrant the assemblage of an extensive display, and 
as the space assigned was small, it was decided to confine 
the exhibit to illustrations of the present field researches 
of the scientific corps of the Bureau. 
Seeking a subject that would be well within the range of 
the Bureau’s legitimate field, yet susceptible of effective 
presentation by means of objective material, it was decided 
to take up and illustrate as the chief topic the mythic 
symbolism of various tribes as embodied in their decorative 
art. Prominent among the concepts thus embodied are the 
various forms of animal and plant life, clouds, lightning, 
rain, sun, moon and stars, as well as various monsters 
