"The first four volumes of the Proceedings and the first sixteen numbers of the Bulletin were published in this manner.

"Since 1883 no publication of the Bulletins has been made, and none has been made in the case of the Proceedings since 1882.

"There remain unpublished eleven volumes of the Proceedings and twenty-one numbers of the Bulletin-in all, enough to make ten thick volumes of the Miscellaneous Collections. Possibly, by condensation and omissions, the number might be reduced to nine volumes. If the Institution were to undertake to print the edition of 1,000 now customary in the case of the Miscellaneous Collections, the cost would be not less than $9,000. The same amount expended by the Institution in printing fresh matter would probably not produce more than one and one half volumes, or at most two volumes, of Miscellaneous Collections. "The Institution is possibly under obligations to provide for the publication of these papers, since in the advertisement to each volume of the Bulletin as late as 1887 (Bulletin 33) appears the statement that 'from time to time the publications of the Museum which have been issued separately are combined together and issued as volumes of the Miscellaneous Collections.'

"As a matter of fact, however, the publication of an edition of 1,000 copies by the Smithsonian Institution would not really meet the necessities of the case, since it would leave unsupplied a very large number of libraries quite as deserving as those already on the distribution list."

It seems, in view of all these facts, that it is not desirable that the Institution should undertake hereafter the publication of the Museum Bulletin and Proceedings, since it is evident that these will increase in bulk from year to year, and that the demand upon the Insti tution would very soon become too burdensome. Dr. Goode suggests that Congress be requested to increase the appropriation for the Museum printing to $18,000 in order that an edition of 2,000 copies may be printed in addition to the customary number. If this arrangement should be carried out, the Smithsonian Institution would be relieved of the responsibility of providing for the publication of these documents. The issue of the enlarged edition would commence with volume 13 of the Proceedings and with Bulletin 40 or 41. In considering the question of publishing back volumes of the Proceedings and Bulletin, Dr. Goode remarks:

"When we come to the question of the publication of the back volumes, volumes 1 to 4 of the Proceedings and Bulletins 1 to 16 may be regarded as published, although not to the extent to which it would seem desirable in the way of supplying local institutions. Of the following, we have in hand enough to make a very fair distribution, viz: Proceedings, volumes 10 and 11 aud Bulletins No. 33 to 37. Of volumes 5 to 9 of Proceedings and of Bulletins 17 to 32, however, no systematic publication can be made without the printing of an additional number of copies."

Students. In accordance with the policy of past years, free access to the collections has been granted to students in the various branches of H. Mis. 224- -4

natural history, and in many instances specimens have been lent to specialists for comparison and study. Instruction in taxidermy has been given to several applicants. Two of these intend to apply the knowledge thus acquired in making collections for the Museum, namely, Lieut. E. H. Taunt, United States consular agent to the Congo, and Mr. Harry Perry, who expects to spend several years in Honduras. Mr. T. W. Smillie has given instruction in photography to the following persons: Lieut. E. H. Taunt, Mr. W. H. Perry, Mr. Barton Bean, Mr. Howard, Prof. Daish, and Miss Frances B. Johnston.

Special researches.-The special researches of the curators are referred to at length in the report of the National Museum. I may say, in this connection, that the time which those officers are able to devote to work of this kind is very limited, owing to the large amount of mechanical and routine work to which, in the absence of necessary assistance, it is necessary for them to give their personal attention.

Meetings and lectures.-The use of the lecture hall has been granted for lectures and meetings of scientific societies, as follows: The National Dental Association met on July 24, 25, and 26. On the evening of September 20 was held one of the meetings of the Medical Congress. The American Ornithologists' Union held its sixth congress on November 13, 14, and 15. A meeting of the Department of Superintendence of the National Educational Association was held on March 6, 7, and 8. The National Academy of Sciences held its meetings on April 16, 17, and 18. The Council of the American Geological Society and the American Committee of the International Geological Congress held business meetings on April 19. The American Historical Association held its fifth meeting in Washington during Christmas week; the evening sessions being held at the Columbia University, the morning sessions at the Museum.

In the Toner course Dr. Harrison Allen delivered a lecture on May 29 entitled "Clinical Study of the Skull undertaken in connection with the Morbid Condition of the Jaws and Nasal Chambers."

The usual course of Saturday lectures, ten in number, beginning March 9 and ending May 11, was delivered under the direction of the oint committee of the scientific societies of Washington.

The usual courtesies have been extended to museums and other public institutions by the gift and loan of drawings and photographs of specimens and copies of Museum labels.

Visitors.-The number of visitors to the Museum building is constantly increasing. The register shows that a total number of 374,843 persons visited the Museum during the year. This exceeds the number for last year by 125,818, and shows an increase of more than 50 per cent. The visitors to the Smithsonian building numbered 149,618, an increase of 46,177 over last year. On March 5, owing to the crowds of visitors to

the city attending the Inauguration cermonies, no less than 86,107 persons visited the Smithsonian and Museum buildings.

Personnel. During the year a department of forestry has been established, and with the consent of the Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. B. E. Fernow, chief of the forestry division of the Department of Agriculture, has been appointed its curator.

Dr. George Vasey, of the Department of Agriculture, has been ap pointed curator of botany, and in that capacity controls the botanical collections in the National Museum and in the Department of Agriculture. Prof. Paul Haupt, curator of Oriental antiquities in the National Museum, was designated as the representative of the Smithsonian Institution at the Eighth International Congress of Orientalists, to meet in Stockholm and Christiania in September. Prof. Otis T. Mason was instructed to proceed to Europe to visit the principal ethnological museums of France, Germany, Denmark, and England, for the purpose of making arrangements for the increase of the collections at the U. S. National Museum, and incidentally, through the study of methods of installation, of providing for the more effectual preservation and utilization of these collections. Mr. Thomas Wilson was directed to proceed to Europe to visit the principal museums of France, England, and Dublin for the purpose of studying the methods of installation employed by the European museums.

On August 13, Mr. Silas Stearns, of Pensacola, Fla., who for many years has been a correspondent of the Smithsonian Institution, and has made important collections of fishes in the Gulf of Mexico, died at Asheville, N. C.

Explorations. During the summer of 1888, Mr. George P. Merrill, curator of geology, made a collecting trip to North Carolina, Pennsyl vania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine. Large collections of rocks were obtained for the Museum. Mr. Thomas Wilson, curator of prehistoric anthropology, visited mounds in Ohio, and made interesting collections. Ensign W. L. Howard, U. S. Navy, who, acting under orders from the Navy Department, sailed for Kotzebue Sound in May last, is making collections in Alaska for the National Museum. Prof. O. P. Jenkins, of De Pauw University, Indiana, is visiting the Hawaiian Islands for the purpose of collecting fishes. A series of his specimens has been promised for the National Museum. In Augast Dr. W.-F. Hillebrand, of the U. S. Geoglogical Survey, visited some of the Western States and Territories partly with a view to making collections of minerals. These will eventually be incorporated with the Museum collections.

Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States.-The act of Congress directing the Executive Departments of the Government, the Department of Agriculture, and the Smithsonian Institution (includ

ing the National Museum and the U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries) to participate in the Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States, to be held in Cincinnati from July 4 to October 27, 1888, passed both houses of Congress and received the approval of the President on May 28. In addition to this, a joint resolution was adopted in which the true intent of the act was declared, with a view to correcting certain misapprehensions which had arisen in regard to the objects for which the money appropriated by Congress in connection with this exhibition could be legally expended. This joint resolution was approved by the President on July 16. A copy of the act and of the joint resolution will be found in the report of the assistant secretary for 1889, wherein is also published a full account of the exhibit prepared under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution in accordance with the terms of the act referred to. Of the $50,000 appropriated for the Smithsonian Institution $10,000 was set apart for the U. S. Fish Commission. About 42,000 square feet of exhibition space were reserved for the Government exhibits, 12,000 square feet being devoted to that of the Smithsonian Institution. The assistant secretary was on May 29 appointed representative of the Smithsonian Institution, and active operations for the preparation of a creditable display were immediately commenced. It was unfortunate that only a little more than a month intervened between the passage of the act and the opening of the exhibition. The Smithsonian Institution has, however, had a varied experience in preparing exhibits at a short notice. The first car-load of exhibits left for Cincinnati on June 22, and the last of the twelve car-loads which were sent was shipped on July 12. The following departments of the National Museum were represented at the exhibition, the number of square feet assigned to each being also given:

In addition to this a special exhibit was prepared by the Bureau of Ethnology, Maj. J. W. Powell, Director, to which 1,425 square feet were assigned. The total number of visitors to the exhibition was 1,055,276.

Dr. Goode was unable, on account of other duties, to personally attend the exhibition, and Mr. R. E. Earll was placed in charge of the exhibit. Considerable difficulty was experienced in connection with the expenditure of the funds appropriated by Congress for the work of preparing exhibits, owing to the decisions of the special auditor appointed to audit the exposition accounts. His objections were in every instance finally withdrawn, and all vouchers have now, after protracted delays, been approved by that official. An extraordinary number of points of a trivial nature were raised, which necessitated the writing of as numerous letters to answer questions which had not previously been understood to come within the province of an auditor. In view of this experience it is urged that should Congress at any time direct the Smithsonian Institution to participate in future expositions, the law be so framed as to require the appointment of an auditing officer who is familiar with the demands of exhibition work. If, however, this be impracticable, it seems proper that the responsibility of selecting and deciding as to what should be the character of the exhibits should be left entirely to the judgment of the various Departments, the auditor's work being limited to the examination of the accounts, which should of course be sufficiently detailed to prevent errors. Another cause of delay in settling the exhibition accounts was due to the fact that the disbursing officer was stationed at Newport, Ky., instead of Washington, where by far the greater part of the bills were contracted. The paymaster drew checks upon the Cincinnati depository only, and this method appeared to be unjust, since it obliged employés to wait several days before receiving payment, and in addition to lose some part of their money, owing to the refusal of the Treasury Department in Washington to honor the checks. The only alternative for them was to present the checks to local banks, paying the usual discount rates.

Marietta Centennial Exposition.- By an Executive order, dated July 11, 1888, permission was granted to the heads of the departments represented at the Cincinnati Exhibition to send to the Centennial Exposition at Marietta, Ohio, such objects as could be conveniently spared either from the exhibits at Cincinnati or direct from Washington. In accordance with this order an exhibit was prepared under the direction of the assistant secretary. Mr. W. V. Cox, chief clerk of the Museum, was appointed by him as his representative. Since only one day intervened in this instance between the issuing of the Executive order and the opening of the exhibition there was no time to be lost. An exhibit, with a total weight of 7,327 pounds, was prepared and installed at Marietta before the opening of the exhibition. The exhibit included specimens selected from the Haida collection of ethnological objects, lithographs of the game fishes of the United States, a series of medals,