NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK.

The accessions to the collections in the National Zoological Park during the past year aggregated 510 animals, including 25 species not already represented; 350 of these were obtained by purchase, exchange, or as gifts, and 108 were born and hatched in the park. The total collection on June 30 numbered 1,551 individual animals, representing 381 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, an increase of 137 over the preceding year. The more important additions were 2 elephant seals and 4 northern fur seals, 8 white pelicans, and a pair each of Brazilian tapirs, Patagonian cavies, and Chilean eagles. The number of visitors was 542,738, or a daily average of 1,487. The largest number in any one month was 95,485, in April, 1912. That the educational value of the park is appreciated is indicated by the fact that it was visited by 4,140 pupils, representing 142 schools and classes from the District of Columbia and neighboring States, and from Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee. Although each year some improvements are made as regards the accommodation of the collections and the comfort of visitors, yet much remains to be done before the park can be brought to a condition that would properly be expected in a zoological park maintained by this great nation. The most important improvement of the year was the construction of a fireproof building for a central heating plant, in which are installed two pairs of boilers for alternate use as repairs or cleaning become necessary. A yard and bathing pool was also constructed for the use of the hippopotamus and the tapirs; three small inclosures were built for semiaquatic animals; and various other additional structures were built, as enumerated by the superintendent in his report on another page.

I have for several years called attention to the urgent need of a suitable aviary for the fine series of birds in the collection. A suitable structure for this purpose is estimated to cost about $80,000. Around this large aviary would be grouped the cages for the eagles, vultures, condors, and owls, now scattered irregularly about the grounds.

The superintendent in his report calls attention also to several other desirable measures for the betterment of the park.

The Biological Survey of the Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Zoological Park, is carrying on some experiments in breeding mink with a view to ascertaining the possibilities of rearing them in captivity for commercial purposes. The main object in view is to secure data relative to the best methods of rearing mink for their fur, especially as to details of housing, feeding, mating, and caring for them.

ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY.

The principal research carried on by the Astrophysical Observatory during the year has been on the variability of the sun. Progress has been made in the dissemination of standards of pyrheliometry and on the absorption of radiation by atmospheric water vapor.

The first of these investigations was in continuation of observations taken during several years past to definitely determine the laws governing the apparent variability of the "solar constant." The solving of this problem, it is expected, will be of much value in the probable forecast of climatic conditions from year to year. In this research it seemed important that simultaneous observations be made in widely separated parts of the world. It was accordingly arranged to make such observations at Mount Wilson, California, and at Bassour, Algeria. The results of this work are discussed by Mr. Abbot in his report on another page.

For several years the Institution has been sending to observatories, widely separated throughout the world, standardized copies of the standard silver-disk secondary pyrheliometer designed by the director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. During the past year about 10 such instruments have been prepared and sent out, mostly to foreign governmental meteorological services. 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.

In carrying forward the research on the absorption of radiation by atmospheric water vapor, there has been recently devised at the observatory a method for determining spectroscopically the total quantity of water vapor between the observer and the sun. Atmospheric water vapor absorption work during the year was confined to the upper infra-red spectrum bands. It is expected by the use of a vacuum bolometer now in preparation to make considerable gain in the sensitiveness of the apparatus and greatly promote the value of the work at great wave lengths.

INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERA

TURE.

The cooperative enterprise known as the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature is represented in the United States through the Smithsonian Institution, an appropriation being made each year by Congress to maintain a regional bureau in this country under the auspices of the Secretary of the Institution.

This bureau, in cooperation with thirty-one other regional bureaus, through a central bureau in London, publishes yearly 17 volumes, which form an index to current scientific literature. Each country

supports its own bureau, in the majority of cases by means of direct governmental grants. The London central bureau, which bears all of the expense of editing and publishing the data prepared by the regional bureaus, depends for its support entirely on funds received from the subscribers to the work. In the beginning of the enter prise the subscription price was fixed at $85 per year for a full set of 17 volumes, and it has been necessary to maintain this price, as there are a limited number of libraries and scientific bodies whose subscription to the work practically assures the sum necessary for publication. The lack of any surplus, however, renders it impossible to reduce the price of the work in order to meet the demands of a large number of scientific investigators, who are practically excluded as personal subscribers to this valuable source of information, owing to the present prices.

Had the central bureau a permanent and independent income, derived from an endowment or otherwise, it would be possible to adopt the course which would under similar circumstances be followed by a commercial publishing house having a liberal working capital; that is, to reduce the price of the publication and depend on the certainty of increased sales to pay the relatively small expenses of printing a larger edition of the work. An endowment of $100,000 properly invested would, it is believed, make it possible to carry out this plan, and, for the end to be accomplished, it would be difficult to find a better use for this comparatively small sum. A more detailed statement of the condition of this interesting example of what may be accomplished through international cooperation will be found in the report of the bureau in the appendix.

Respectfully submitted.

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Secretary.

APPENDIX 1.

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, 1912:

SUMMARY OF THE YEAR'S PROGRESS.

By the close of the year the natural history departments of the Museum had been quite fully established in the new building, only a small amount of exhibition material remaining to be transferred. The laboratories had been occupied for some time, and the reserve collections brought over from the older buildings had been mainly arranged in the more ample and convenient quarters provided for them. The work of classification had necessarily to be in large part suspended during the period of moving, but the opportunity was availed of to expedite the labeling and recording, and these collections are now, as a whole, in much better condition and far more accessible for reference and study than at any previous time in the history of the Museum. The task of moving was both arduous and delicate, involving, as it did, the handling of several million specimens of all sizes and all degrees of hardiness without injury and without the loss or disarrangement of labels. That it was accomplished satisfactorily in such a remarkably short space of time is especially gratifying, in view of the fact that the exigencies of the current work were fully met and no cessation occurred in the receipt of new material.

The installation of the exhibition collections, however, could not be hastened in the same way. A much greater time is required for the construction of the cases, which are more elaborate in character than those intended for storage, and but few of the cases used in the older buildings are adapted to the new building, though many have been temporarily employed. It has also been necessary to reject a large number of the older exhibition specimens as of inferior quality for the purpose, and of those which are being utilized many require to be thoroughly renovated if not entirely done over. The new exhibitions, however, are intended to consist in great measure of fresh materials, much of which has been recently acquired, and to represent

the best skill of the museum preparator and taxidermist. During the year this branch of the work was pressed to the fullest extent possible, and excellent progress was made.

Of the total floor area of about 465,000 square feet furnished by the new building, the amount of space dedicated to the public, including the floors and galleries of the south pavilion and rotunda, is slightly in excess of 220,000 square feet. The permanent exhibitions now planned are limited to the first and second stories of the wings and ranges, which they will completely occupy and which contain about 186,000 square feet. Of this space about three-fourths has been opened to the public, although it should be explained that the installations are still to a large extent provisional and subject to revision, a work that is steadily going on. The end of another year, however, should see all of the exhibition halls opened and in good though not finished condition.

The exhibitions to which the public had gained access by the close of the year comprised, besides the picture gallery in the middle hall, ethnology, historic archeology, systematic and applied geology, mineralogy, paleontology, the birds and fishes, small sections of the mammals and invertebrates, a synoptic series of biology, and certain special zoological collections illustrating anatomy and development, albinism, melanism, hybridism, the domestic animals, and the local fauna. The principal branches that remained to be opened up were the mammals, reptiles, marine invertebrates, and prehistoric archeology.

The removal of the natural history collections from the older buildings furnishes the opportunity for the more complete organization of the department of the arts and industries as contemplated in the original plan of the Board of Regents. Certain subjects belonging to it have for a long time been illustrated to the extent permitted by the crowded condition of the exhibition halls, among them being land and water transportation, firearms, electrical inventions, measuring devices, many kinds of machinery, the graphic arts, and ceramics. There are several others, however, equally important and interesting, of which the Museum has many and valuable illustrations. The material, obtained from various sources, but mainly from the great international expositions, has, from lack of room, been necessarily kept in storage, though before the crowding of the older buildings began some parts of it were exhibited. The space that has been released will afford accommodations for the installation of this material, so far as it has not deteriorated, and for such additions as will be needed to round out the exhibits of the several subjects in at least a modest way. With this accomplished, the Museum will be confronted with the problem of the further develop