Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17
RICH ADDITIONS
To the National Museum Exhibits
From the Chicago Fair.
ARRANGING THE VARIED TREASURES
Graphic Representations Of Abo-
riginal Peoples.
FROM THE ANIMAL WORLD

Dur1NS the past week NATIONAL Museum
curators and subordinate employees have
been initiating the proverbial hymenoptera
with visible results. Order is slowly emery
ing from the chaos incident to the return
of material from the temporary interna-
tioi al metropolis on Lake Michigan, and
about all of the unslghtly boxes which
numbered the various courts having been
opened. attention is now being assiduously
devoted to the permanent installation of
the contents.
Practically all OF this material was placed
before the public for the first time at Chi
cago, and so. with few exceptions is new
to the museum. Even those who passed be-
fore the cases in the white city will view
collections seemingly new to them per-
haps, with the greater leisure now offered
for detailed inspection. Nearly everything
at Jackson Park seemed buried in the vast
ness Of the accumulation, and 1t may al
most be said that the mass of people who
visited the worlds fair went there to see
immensely. not details.
To give place to the rich additions pre-
pared for the exposition is a problem draw
Ing tightly on the eyebrow gathering strings
Of the museum administration Every one
knows that the present buildings have long
been inadequate. and now that large and
interesting new cases are blocking the
aisles of the courts. some kind of a trans
formation within the building becomes inev-
liable. This Transformation is in progress
and one of its incidents is the total remov-
al from the museum floors of the interest
ing and beautiful insect display belonging
10 Prof. Riley's division of the Department
Of Agriculture. That collection has been In
the same hall containing the surgeon gen.
ed. to reappear just where Is at present
hard to say.
Huge Wooden Idols.
The insects and the drugs are being dis
placed by Mr.. Koehler's pictures, driven
from the position heretofore allotted to the
department of graphic arts by Prof Ma
sons indians. The department of ethnol-
ogy will thus be allowed (and fairly two
apartments. though out of this Dr. Adler
is to have a place near the rotunda foun-
tain for the machinery of oriental religions
Two huge wooden idols one representing
Nishna, the other Buddha, have been placed
for the time on the other side of the statue
of Liberty. They were sent to Chicago from
some temple in Ceylon. Not far from them
stand a case of very fine and large mummy
envelopes, furnished by the Egyptian gov
eminent. which were unpacked several
weeks ago.
a remarkable and interesting collection of
chronological figures, attired in the very
garments worn by individuals of the races
and tribes represented, and surrounded by
utensils of their own manufacture. In the
preparation of these groups Professor Ma
son was assisted by Messrs. Cushing,
Holmes and Mooney of the bureau Of eth
nology. over twenty cases are required for
their protection, and the aboriginals repre-
scented are the Eskimos from Labrador to
Boring sea. the Indians of the interior Of
Alaska and northern Canada, those of the
Pacific coast of British Columbia, the var
ious tribes of the plains, all the Pueblo
tribes, those of the Gulf of California, the
Peruvians, and the old historic Eastern
Indians.
One of the most notable of the group is a
big Indian" of the plains and his family.
The warrior is seated upon his (stuffed)
pony. and is glorious in full dress uniform
of feathers and beads. His squaw also
rides. but the pony is burdened with the
camp equipment and children, supported by
the drag poles trailing in the rear Of the
animal. In one case two Pueblo women
are engaged in the manufacture of earthen
ware, and the several steps in the process
are very clearly illustrated. The walls of
the vessels are built up by the coiling Of
clay ropes, in which act one of the figures
is represented as engaged. Another Pueblo
woman is plating large and handsome
basket trays, several of which, unfinished,
are strewn about. Navahoe woman is
kneellng before a crude loom, upon which
the partly woven CLOTH of pleasing design
is progressing in response to her efforts A
companion by her side is whirling a spindle
the yarn from which feeds the loom
Another case will contain a Navahoe silver
smith.
In "a Zuni Kitchen.
Four Zuni women. with neatly dressed
hlaO h,fr