days in advance of the date, and it is inconceivable that any outside agency could be relied upon to insure their distribution with the promptness demanded. It is, consequently, felt that the control of this distribution should remain where it is.

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'Reports on this subject were made to the President and to the Commission on Economy and Efficiency under dates of September 27 and November 8, last, and in these it was shown that the distributions were made on an exceedingly low basis of cost. In fact, all publications except those of the Museum are stored in and distributed from the Smithsonian building, which the Government is using without cost. The actual labor of wrapping, labeling, and handling the Smithsonian reports is furnished by the Institution and not by the Government. And from all points of view the transfer of the actual work of distribution to another establishment would distinctly tend to reduce the scientific value of the Smithsonian publications and to curtail the benefits which the Institution is deriving from them."

SMITHSON RELICS.

"For many years the Smithson relics, those personal belongings that were a close and intimate part of the life of the founder, have been cared for in one of the south tower rooms known here as the old Regents' room, because of its former use by the Regents for their meetings. This room is quite inaccessible, so it was decided to arrange the relics, temporarily at least, for exhibition in the central portion of the main hall of the Smithsonian building. They are in special cases under constant supervision, and have aroused a deep interest among those who are acquainted with the history of the Institution. Among the relics may be seen:

Copy of the matriculation register of Oxford University, showing the name by which Smithson was known in 1782-James Lewis Macie.

Several portraits of the founder.

A portrait of his father, Hugh Smithson, Duke of Northumberland.
Visiting cards.

Dinner cards.

His library.

Printed copies of papers on chemical subjects, written by Mr. Smithson. Collection of autographs of scientific men, on notes written to Mr. Smithson. His will, showing the wording that made the Smithsonian Institution possible. [Incidentally, the secretary spoke of the collection of photographic portraits of Regents being made for permanent preservation, and which was on exhibition in the main hall.]

ADJOURNMENT.

There being no further business, on motion, the board adjourned.

GENERAL APPENDIX

TO THE

SMITHSONIAN REPORT FOR 1912

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ADVERTISEMENT.

The object of the GENERAL APPENDIX to the Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution is to furnish brief accounts of scientific discovery in particular directions; reports of investigations made by collaborators of the Institution; and memoirs of a general character or on special topics that are of interest or value to the numerous correspondents of the Institution.

It has been a prominent object of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, from a very early date, to enrich the annual report required of them by law with memoirs illustrating the more remarkable and important developments in physical and biological discovery, as well as showing the general character of the operations of the Institution; and this purpose has, during the greater part of its history, been carried out largely by the publication of such papers as would possess an interest to all attracted by scientific progress.

In 1880 the secretary, induced in part by the discontinuance of an annual summary of progress which for 30 years previous had been issued by well-known private publishing firms, had prepared by competent collaborators a series of abstracts, showing concisely the prominent features of recent scientific progress in astronomy, geology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, mineralogy, botany, zoology, and anthropology. This latter plan was continued, though not altogether satisfactorily, down to and including the year 1888.

In the report for 1889 a return was made to the earlier method of presenting a miscellaneous selection of papers (some of them original) embracing a considerable range of scientific investigation and discussion. This method has been continued in the present report for 1912.

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