and renewed again on June 11, 1911, which tend to confirm the conclusion that the sun's output of radiation varies from day to day in a manner irregular in period and quantity. Assurance seems now complete that this latter result will be tested during the next fiscal year by long-continued daily observations taken simultaneously at two widely separated stations, where the atmosphere is believed to be specially favorable for such research. The definite determination of the laws governing the apparent variability of the "solar constant " it is expected will be of much value in the probable forecast of climatic conditions from year to year.

Measurements have also been made of the transparency, for long wave radiation, of columns of air containing known quantities of water vapor. This line of research promises highly interesting results. As mentioned on another page, arrangements have been made with several observatories, widely separated through the world, for the use of the standard silver-disk secondary pyrheliometer designed by the director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. It is hoped to thus secure not only uniformity of radiation measures, but also a more exact knowledge of solar radiation and the influence of the terrestrial atmosphere upon it.

INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC
LITERATURE.

The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature publishes, through the cooperation of countries in all parts of the world, a current classified index to the literature of science. Seventeen volumes have been published annually, beginning with the literature of 1901. The organization consists of a central bureau in London and regional bureaus established in and supported by the 32 countries taking part in the enterprise. Supreme control of the catalogue is vested in an international convention, which met in London July, 1905, and July, 1910, and is to meet every tenth year hereafter. The second international convention met in London at the rooms of the Royal Society on July 12 and 13, 1910, and Mr. Leonard C. Gunnell, assistant in charge of the United States regional bureau, was sent by the Institution as the delegate from the United States. The convention decided that on account of the success already achieved by the International Catalogue and the great importance of the objects promoted, the enterprise would be continued. Attention was called to the urgent need of a permanent fund to aid in carrying on and extending the work. It was pointed out that although various regional bureaus for the collection of material were supported by the countries in which they were located, the maintenance of the central bureau for general administration and actual publication of the 17 annual volumes was dependent entirely on the funds derived from the sub

scribers to the published volumes. Though every care has been used to edit and publish the work in the most economical way, the income of the central bureau has proved to be insufficient to meet current expenses and in addition pay interest on approximately $35,000 of borrowed capital.

As a more detailed report of the work of the bureau and of the proceedings of the convention will be found in the appendix to this report, it will be sufficient here to call attention to the great value and importance of the work, and to say that it would be difficult to find an enterprise more deserving of endowment. A capital fund, yielding an annual income of from $5,000 to $10,000, would enable the central bureau not only to broaden the scope of the catalogue but also to reduce the subscription price now charged for the annual volumes. This charge is $85 per year which, although not large when the amount of matter published is considered, is found to be far beyond the means of many who would otherwise be glad to avail themselves of this important aid to scientific research.

The Smithsonian Institution has a peculiar interest in the International Catalogue, for the reason that the original idea was conceived by the first Secretary of the Institution in 1855. The Royal Society through its Catalogue of Scientific Papers later partly carried out Secretary Henry's idea. Experience proved that the enterprise was too great for any one society, or, indeed, any one nation, to undertake, and the Smithsonian Institution, representing the United States, joined in the movement to make the work international.

The history of this international movement is briefly as follows:

The British foreign office in 1894, at the instance of the Royal Society, requested the United States Government, through the Department of State, to send delegates to a conference to be held in London in 1896. The matter was referred to the Smithsonian Institution, and the late Prof. Simon Newcomb and Dr. John S. Billings were sent as delegates. The second conference was held in 1898, and Dr. Cyrus Adler, librarian of the Smithsonian Institution, attended as a delegate.

In 1901, when success or failure depended on obtaining the cooperation of the United States in the enterprise, the Smithsonian Institution agreed to and did support a regional bureau from that time until 1906, when Congress made its first annual appropriation to carry on the work in this country. It will thus be seen that in each step the United States has, through the Smithsonian Institution, been prominent in the movement, and it would be a matter of much gratification if now that the enterprise has been so auspiciously started it could be further aided by an endowment fund originating in this country.

NECROLOGY.

MELVILLE WESTON FULLER.

It becomes my duty to record here the death of Chief Justice Melville Weston Fuller, Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution, who was born at Augusta, Maine, February 11, 1833, and died at his summer home, Sorrento, Maine, July 4, 1910. For 22 years prior to his death, Chief Justice Fuller had been deeply interested in the welfare of the Institution, and only on one occasion was he absent from a meeting of the Regents during the entire period of his service as a member of the board.

During his long and useful life Justice Fuller served his country faithfully in several civil offices of trust and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. His achievements as a jurist were most adequately portrayed by the resolutions and eulogies pronounced in his memory at a meeting of members of the bar of the Supreme Court on December 10, 1910, and at the session of the Supreme Court on January 3, 1911.

The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution expressed their sorrow in the following words of tribute adopted at the annual meeting of the board on December 8, 1910:

Whereas the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution have received the sad intelligence of the death, on July 4, 1910, of Melville Weston Fuller, Chief Justice of the United States, and for twenty-two years chancellor of the Institution: Therefore be it

Resolved, That we desire here to record our profound sorrow at the severing of the tie that has bound us to him for so long a period of honored service; that we feel keenly the loss of a wise presiding officer, whose vast store of learning and gracious dignity have proved so invaluable in the deliberations of this board, and whose loyal interest in the Smithsonian Institution has been a source of inspiration to his colleagues.

Resolved, That we share in the grief of the Nation at the passing away of one who was at once a distinguished leader of the greatest legal tribunal of our land, an eminent jurist, a patriotic citizen, a shining example of Christian gentleness, and who also possessed so charming a personality as a man and as a friend.

Resolved, That we respectfully tender to the members of the family of our late associate our sincerest sympathy in their great bereavement.

Resolved, That an engrossed copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the family of the late chancellor.

Respectfully submitted,

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Secretary.

APPENDIX I.

REPORT ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the operations of the United States National Museum for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911:

COMPLETION AND OCCUPATION OF THE NEW BUILDING,

It is gratifying to be able to report the completion of all structural work on the new building for the Museum on June 20, 1911, just six years after the excavations for its foundations were commenced. While the time limit originally estimated was somewhat exceeded on account of delays in the fulfillment of certain contracts, the work was purposely conducted slowly in order to insure entire stability and permanency of construction, which it is confidently believed have been secured. The building is massive and imposing in appearance, a notable addition to the group of Government structures at the Capital, and has already been proved to be admirably adapted to the purposes for which it was designed.

There is comparatively little room in the building that can not be utilized. Of the approximately 10 acres of floor space which it contains, fully one-half bas been allotted to the public in the interest of popular education. The other half, after deducting the area required for the maintenance and operation of the building, is assigned to the storage of the reserve collections and to the laboratories. The occupation of the building did not await its final completion, but was begun during the summer of 1909, and has been continued as rapidly as the necessary furniture could be provided.

The work done on and in connection with the building during last year comprised the finishing of the rotunda, the south approaches, and the auditorium; the painting of the interior plastered walls and ironwork; and, under the direction of the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, the grading and sodding of the grounds immediately surrounding the building and the construction of roads and walks leading to the several entrances.

By the close of the year essentially all of the reserve collections and all of the laboratories of the several divisions of anthropology, zoology, geology, and paleontology had been established in the new building, as had also most of the administrative offices which are to be located there. The collections had, moreover, been nearly all arranged in a manner convenient for study and reference, and in greater part had received their permanent systematic installation. Much remains to be done, however, in perfecting this arrangement and in completing the catalogues and indexes.

The exhibition collections had also been moved with the exception of the American mammals, the birds, the marine invertebrates, the osteological specimens, the fossil plants, the building stones, the gems, and a small section of ethnology. The only public installations that had been completed in the new building, besides the paintings of the National Gallery of Art, were, however, of ethnology, which occupied the sides and ends of the middle hall on the

main floor, and most of the two adjacent ranges. To these halls in greater or less part the public had been admitted from March 17, 1910, when the building was first opened. Work was actively progressing in the preparation of the exhibits for all of the other branches, the delays being due in large measure to the slow rate at which furniture was supplied, and had been well advanced for archeology, mineralogy, and the fossil vertebrates.

ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTIONS.

The permanent acquisitions received during the year comprised approximately 228,642 specimens and objects, of which 204,540 were of animals and plants, 6,647 were geological and paleontological, 17,361 belonged to the several divisions included in the department of anthropology, and 94 were paintings and engravings presented to the National Gallery of Art. In addition, 1,629 objects of art and anthropology were accepted as loans for exhibition.

One of the most important accessions of the year resulted from an investigation in Argentina, conducted under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution by Dr. Aleš Hrdlička, curator of physical anthropology, partly in conjunction with Mr. Bailey Willis as geologist, for the purpose of determining the nature and value of the evidence relating to man's antiquity in that country. The skeletal and archeological remains attributed to early man or his forerunners preserved in the museums were studied, the more important localities where such remains have been discovered were visited, and on the journey to and from Argentina short stops were made in Brazil, Peru, Panama, and Mexico. Some 3,400 ancient crania, 6,000 long and other bones, and 1,500 archeological objects of human manufacture composed the collection brought to Washington. A large number of prehistoric utensils, implements, ornaments, examples of weaving, etc., obtained by Dr. J. W. Fewkes during excavations in the Navaho National Monument and at the ancient Hopi pueblo of Wukoki at Black Falls, Little Colorado River, Ariz., were transferred by the Bureau of American Ethnology. Collections of a similar character, but including ancient human crania and skeletons, from the northeastern pueblo region of New Mexico, were received from the School of American Archeology of the Archæological Institute of America, at Santa Fe, and a valuable series of skulls and skeletons from Arkansas and Mississippi was presented by Mr. Clarence B. Moore.

Two interesting ethnological collections, one from Liberia the other from Abyssinia, were lent for exhibition by Mr. George W. Ellis, jr., and Mr. Hoffman Philip, respectively, and a number of specimens relating to the Indians of North America were acquired by gift and purchase.

The final shipments from the Smithsonian African expedition, which arrived in the early part of the year, contained several thousand specimens of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and mollusks. The notable collection of mammals belonging to Dr. C. Hart Merriam and consisting of about 5,800 skins, 6,000 skulls, and 100 complete skeletons, was secured through the generosity of Mrs. Edward H. Harriman, of New York, by whom it was purchased and donated to the Institution. The other principal additions of mammals were from British East Africa, Abyssinia, and China; while of birds the more important contributions were from North and Central America, the Philippine Islands, and China. The United States Biological Survey and the United States Bureau of Fisheries transmitted many reptiles from various parts of the United States and Mexico, and the latter also an interesting series from the Philippines. The fishes received were mainly from explorations by the Bureau of Fisheries in the eastern part of the United States. Large numbers of