270 Field Columbian Museum — Reports, Vol. i. 



20 volumes of its journals and proceedings, and the British Museum 

 22 of its valuable publications. The work of cataloguing the resources 

 of the library has progressed steadily. The shelf list and the author 

 catalogue have been kept up to date. The subject catalogue has 

 been completed so far as regards the books, pamphlets, and separates, 

 some 8,500 cards having been written during the fiscal year. The 

 staff are anxious to have subject cards for the more important 

 papers in the scientific transactions, proceedings, and bulletins; 

 this work has recently been started and can be pushed with vigor 

 during the next year. 372 volumes have been bound during the past 

 year, involving an expense of $300.60. The Union list of periodicals 

 referred to in the last report has not been published yet, owing to the 

 many difiticulties of the undertaking, but it is hoped that it will be 

 available for reference some time, this winter. Of the duplicate cata- 

 logue of the John Crerar Library some 12,500 cards have been 

 received and arranged in alphabetical order by authors. This accu- 

 rate and carefully prepared catalogue is likely to be very useful to the 

 Museum staff in many ways, besides preventing the duplicating of 

 expensive books, and will surely repay the not inconsiderable work 

 involved in its handling. The permission secured from the Chicago 

 Public Library to draw out books is constantly made use of. While 

 the members of the staff in this way have an opportunity of availing 

 themselves of many important books not contained in the Museum 

 library, it is nevertheless true that many standard works are yet inac- 

 cessible to them, and a moderate amount expended once for all for 

 such books would add much to their facilities. 



Records. — This most essential and basic feature of the routine 

 work of the Museum is in the highest degree satisfactory, and the 

 assurance is gratifying that the receipt, the distribution, and the for- 

 warding for storage, for exchange, for identification, etc., is accu- 

 rately, systematically, and intelligently recorded. Several improve- 

 ments have been made in the manner of keeping the records dur- 

 ing the year. Heretofore no distinction has been made between 

 the Departments of Zoology and of Ornithology, notwithstanding a 

 different curator presided over each department. This division of 

 material has been made with much labor, and separate sets of records 

 are now maintained £or each department. No systematic record 

 has been kept of negatives, lantern slides, and photographs. As 

 very many negatives, etc., have been acquired or made by the 

 Museum, it was deemed advisable to open an accession book under 

 the head, " Section of Photography and Illustration," purchases 



