FINELY WOVEN, GOLDEN COLORED, FRINGED MAT MADE OF TWILLED HYBISCUS BARK. HAS ORIGINAL PEALE TAG, A TAG ATTACHED READS, "BLACK TRUNK L ORN[I]TH[OLOGY] DEPT". (THE ORNITHOLOGY DEPT WAS HEADED BY TITIAN PEALE). THIS OBJECT WAS ON PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE PACIFIC HALL, N.M.N.H., BUT WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE MAT'S FRAGILE CONDITION, 1984.
FROM CARD: "3705-13. MOST OF THESE MATS ARE NARROW AND WORN AROUND THE WAIST BY THE MEN." FROM CARD: "SLEEPING MAT. TAHITI. ORIGINALLY CATALOGED AS GILBERTS. PEALE CATALOG SAYS: "SLEEPING MATS USED BY THE NATIVES OF TAHITI." FINE TWILLED WEAVE, FRINGED."
