As in previous years, the Institution has received great benefit from the privileges of free freight for its packages, accorded by a large number of steamboat and railroad lines of transportation. In this report, as in former ones, reference should be made to the liberality of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company; of the Panama Railroad Company; of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company; of the New York and Mexican Steamship Line; of the New York and Brazilian Line; of the North German Lloyds; of the Hamburg American Packet Company; of the French Transatlantic Company; of the Inman Line; and of the Cunard Line. I am happy to announce that to the foregoing list is to be added the Anchor Line of steamers between New York and Glasgow, of which Messrs. Henderson & Brother are the New York agents; and I would recommend that an official acknowledgment be made, on the part of the board, to these gentlemen for their courtesy in offering to the Institution the same privileges accorded by the other New York lines. The Union Pacific Railroad Company has granted free transportation, although thus far we have not been able to avail ourselves of the privilege. The Adams Express Company also continues its liberal policy in regard to our freight. It would be quite impossible for the Institution, without the aid thus liberally afforded, to carry out, in its full efficiency, its system of international exchanges, which, by facilitating the intercourse of scientific institutions and of students throughout the world, constitutes one of its most important features.

It is also my duty, as well as a great personal gratification, to inform you of the liberality of several of these companies, extended to myself on the occasion of the visit to Europe which I made during the past summer, in obedience to your authority; the agents of the North German Lloyds, Messrs. Schumaker & Co., of Baltimore, and Messrs. Oelrichs & Co., of New York, as well as Mr. C. G. Francklyn, the agent of the Cunard steamers, having offered me a free passage across the ocean.

Library.-As in previous years, large accessions have been made to *the library of the Institution, principally through the system of international exchanges. The following is a statement of the number of books, maps, and charts received during 1870, most of which have been deposited in the National Library in accordance with the arrangement entered into several years ago, and fully explained in preceding reports:

The following are some of the larger donations received in 1870: From the ministry of the interior, Christiania, Norway, "Den Norske Lods;" 2 volumes, octavo, and 71 charts.

From the Imperial Botanical Garden, St. Petersburg, "Sertum Petropolitarum seu icones et descriptiones plantarum quæ in Horto Botanico Imperiali Petropolitano floruerent." Parts I and II, 1846; III and IV, 1869. Folio.

From His Majesty the King of Prussia, "Danzig und seine Bauwerke in malerischen Original-Radirungen mit geometrischen details und text, Von Johann Carl Schultz;" volumes I-III, oblong folio.

From Dr. Koch, Berlin, 127 pamphlets, University Theses.

From the Royal Public Library, Dresden, "Riedel's Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis;" 41 volumes, quarto.

From the Agricultural Association, Potsdam, "Zeitschrift; " volumes III-XVIII, octavo. "Monatschrift," volumes XIX-XXIII, octavo; and "Amtliches Vereinsblatt," 1869, quarto.

From the Austrian government, "Reichs-Gesetz-Blatt für das Kaiser thum Oesterreich;" 1849-1869, quarto, 21 volumes.

From the Musée de Douai, "Dictionnaire des Sciences Médicales; " volumes I-LX, quarto.

From the minister of public instruction, Florence, 11 volumes "On Education, Public and Private."

From the minister of public works, Florence, 25 volumes and 16 pamphlets. Hydraulics, Navigation, and Engineering, &c.

From the meteorological office, London, "Daily Weather Reports," July 1, 1868, to June 30, 1870, (4 volumes and 6 parts,) folio; and 66 Quarterly Weather Report," part I.

From William Blackmore, esq., Liverpool," Hoare's Ancient History of Wiltshire," volumes I and II, folio, beautifully illustrated with maps and plates. "The People of India: A series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letter-press;" volumes I-IV, 1868, quarto. "Tree and Serpent Worship, or Illustrations of Mythology and Art in India in the First and Fourth Centuries after Christ;" quarto; and various other works.

From the State of Illinois, State documents, 14 volumes.

The incorporation of the library of the Institution with that of Congress continues to be productive of the results which were anticipated from this union. The extensive series of transactions of learned

societies, the number of sets and volumes of which are constantly increasing through the Smithsonian exchanges, is an important feature of the National Library, while the use of the books on special subjects belonging to the Government greatly enlarges the facilities for investigation of the collaborators of the Institution. From the first a harmonious co-operation has existed between the two establishments, and on all occasions we have found Mr. Spofford, the accomplished librarian of Congress, ready to consult the interests of the Institution, and insert on his list of purchases any work which we might indicate as desirable for scientific research. Professor Gill, formerly in charge of the Smithsonian library, and now one of the principal assistants in the Library of Congress, still continues his connection with the Institution, and in spending, as he does, most of the hours unemployed in official duty in scientific research at the Smithsonian building, affords the means of constant communication.

The National Library is rapidly increasing in value, both in regard to the number and the character of the books which are annually added to its collections. The sources of increase are, first, the books purchased by the liberal appropriation of Congress; second, the Smithsonian exchanges; and, third, the deposit of books in accordance with the copyright law. From this last source it has lately received a very large addition of all the American works secured by copy-right since the first enactment of the copy-right law, and previously in charge of the Secretary of the Interior. These books exhibit the phases of thought and the progress of the mental activity of this country for nearly half a century, and have, therefore, a special value independent of their literary or scientific character.

At the time of the organization of the Smithsonian Institution, Congress directed that in order to secure the right of authorship of a book three copies of it should be deposited as evidence of title, one in the library of the Institution, another in that of Congress, and a third in the office of the United States district court. In the case of a costly work, perhaps in several volumes, this was a tax on the author or publisher for the protection of his property which was not improperly considered oppressive. From considerations of justice, therefore, as well as of a prudent regard to the cost of the care of these books, the Smithsonian Institution was the first to petition Congress that the law might be so modified that only two copies should be required to be deposited as evidence of title, and these in the Library of Congress. The proposi tion suggested in this petition was adopted, and I believe the law enacted in accordance with it now meets with general approbation. It is of some importance that this fact should be mentioned, because copies of books are still occasionally sent to the Institution from a want of a knowledge of the existing law.

Besides the general library of the Government in the Capitol each of the separate Departments, as well as several of the bureaus, has a spe

cial library. When we add to these the Washington Library and that of the Young Men's Christian Association, the aggregate of the books in the city of Washington must be greater than that in any other city in the country in proportion to the population. Unfortunately, however, these collections are not at present as readily accessible to the public as could be desired. The rapid increase, however, of the National Library will soon render the erection of a separate building absolutely necessary, and in the new arrangement which will result from this, the different libraries can, perhaps, be brought into harmonious relation, and while provision is afforded for the accommodation of a much larger number of readers, the number of hours during which the books are accessible may be increased.

Explorations and collections.-The Institution has continued, during the past year, as heretofore, to prosecute researches and explorations in ethnology and natural history, both by detailing special agents for particular work, and by co-operating with private individuals and Government expeditions, in securing the desired result.

Among the more important of the first-mentioned class was an investigation among the mounds of Tennessee, under Mr. J. P. Stelle. This gentleman spent a number of months in examining carefully several groups of ancient mounds, and has furnished an interesting account of his researches, accompanied by topographical drawings of the localities, and large numbers of specimens, obtained in the course of his explorations. The report of Mr. Stelle will be printed in the appendix to the annual report of the Institution.

Professor Baird, during his visit to Wood's Hole, in Vineyard Sound, continued his investigations of previous years among the shell-heaps of the coast, and added largely to the collection in archæology. He also devoted much attention to the study of the habits of the marine fishes of that part of the coast. Under the special direction of Professor H. E. Webster, a system of dredging was carried on in the same locality, from which an interesting series of mollusca and other marine animals was procured.

Captain Dow, of the Panama Railroad service, has furnished important collections from Central America, among them the skulls of what will probably prove to be a new species of tapir. Mr. Durkee, of Wyoming Territory, has supplied a large number of specimens of nests and eggs, with fossils and other objects from his locality, embracing several species not before in the collection.

The largest collections, however, received during the year, are those made by Professor Hayden, as United States geologist for the Territories. These, in accordance with the law of Congress making the Institution the depository of all objects of nature and art, natural history, etc., belonging to the United States, have been sent from time to time to the Institution, forming an aggregate of about sixty boxes, and em

bracing large numbers of new species of fossil mammals, reptiles, and fishes, with other interesting objects.

Mr. R. McFarlane, Mr. James Lockhart, and Mr. Strachan Jones, who have been extremely liberal to the Institution in previous years, have again made important additions to its store of specimens, illustrative of the natural history of the region of the far northwest.

In accordance with the understanding between the Institution and the Medical Department of the Government, the specimens of human crania obtained by us have been transferred to the Army Medical Museum, which has, in turn, sent to the Institution all other articles it had received in ethnology and archæology. By this means a very extensive and valuable series of specimens has been obtained by the Institution during the past year. A full list of the additions thus made, will be found in the appendix to the present report.

Another collection worthy of special mention was presented to the Institution by the Colonial Museum, at Wellington, New Zealand. This consisted of bones of the Dinornis, the skins and skeleton of the Apteryx, skins of other birds, shells, and ethnological specimens of the country, and was partly in return for a valuable series of books presented by the Institution to the colonial government.

The labors of Dr. Edw. Palmer, already well known in connection with the ethnological museum of the Institution, have been continued during the present year, and large numbers of articles of Indian manufacture, both ancient and modern, attest his zeal and success as a collector. A more detailed report will be made upon these when the entire collection is received. Lieutenant Ring, of the Army, has continued his valuable donations from Alaska, embracing specimens of animals as well as Indian relics of great antiquity. From Captain C. M. Scammon, of the United States revenue marine, we have received a number of specimens and several important communications in reference to the seals and whales of the Pacific coast. A memoir submitted by this gentleman to the Institution has been published by the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and is considered an important contribution to the knowledge of the subject already existing. Dr. G. M. Sternberg and his brother, Mr. C. H. Sternberg, have transmitted extensive and valuable collections of the tertiary fossil plants of Kansas, and other objects of interest. The former have been found, on examination by Mr. Meek, to contain a number of new species, which will shortly be described. It will be remembered that an exploration of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, by Professor Sumichrast, has been in progress for some years past, under the direction of the Institution, the expense of which was defrayed in part by the Kentucky University at Lexington, by the Boston Society of Natural History, and by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The labors of Professor Sumichrast were brought to a close during the past summer, and several of the collaborators of the Institution are now at work in investigating particular