ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ZOOLOGY 1 69 



VII. Publication. 



As regards publication, it is desirable to establish a central publi- 

 cation bureau of the Institution to regulate the issue of large mono- 

 graphs in quarto form and of shorter papers in octavo form. As sug- 

 gested above, the salaried secretary of the Zoological Committee 

 could also act as editor. 



Zoological monographs treated from the anatomical, embryologi- 

 cal, and biological standpoint, similar to the monographs issued by the 

 Naples Station, are of great importance. The committee also rec- 

 ommend the preparation and publication of systematic monographs 

 of groups in zoology, studies of faunal areas and comprehensive 

 studies of the geographic distribution of life. 



Without recommending in detail, it ma}^ be said that fully one- 

 half of the applications for special grants for research and for publi- 

 cation are worthy of very careful consideration. They suggest work 

 of just the character which the Institution, it appears, is especially 

 designed to undertake and encourage. 



The urgent character of these requests indicates that sufficient 

 means are not yet provided in this country for publications of impor- 

 tance. At the same time, the committee are of the opinion that sev- 

 eral of the above applications, together wnth a number of minor 

 applications included in the general list, might more properly be pro- 

 vided for by the United States Fish Commission, the United States 

 National Museum, the Boston Society of Natural History, the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences, and other institutions. 



In connection with the matter of publication, reference may be 

 made to a letter dated April 28 from E. B. Wilson to Professor Wal- 

 cott, in which a general scheme for zoological publication is outlined 

 and discussed at some length. 



VIII. Subsidies. 



Cases may arise, such as that suggested by the editor of a well- 

 known journal, where a subsidy might wisely be extended to a journal 

 of great value, "the income from which from subscriptions, sales, 

 etc., amounts to less than half the cost of publication, the balance 

 having been made up by contributions from the editors and other 

 outside sources." This, again, is a matter w^here some general 

 principle of action must be adopted by the Institution before a rec- 

 ommendation can be made. 



