KEPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1914. 153 



The sectional library of the division of mollusks contains approxi- 

 mately 7,500 titles presented by its curator, Dr. Dall, beginning with 

 a large initial gift in 1892, which has been added to from year to 

 year. Constituting its principal feature, this collection is supple- 

 mented by many works from other sources, including the bequest 

 of Dr. Isaac Lea, which renders it one of the most complete con- 

 sultative libraries on the subject in the country. A revised cata- 

 logue completed during the year furnishes a ready index to its 

 contents. 



The library is, unfortunately, confronted with a condition which 

 seriously menaces the preservation of a large proportion of its con- 

 tents, and it is important that this should be early remedied. Per- 

 haps two-thirds of the publications it receives are in paper covers, 

 a large share of these being parts of volumes. With the very lim- 

 ited funds available for the purpose, the amount of binding that 

 can be done in any year is scarcely appreciable, and as long as the 

 volumes remain unprotected, constant use causes their rapid de- 

 terioration and ultimate destruction, and most of these unbound 

 works are not replaceable. 



MEETINGS AND CONGRESSES. 



The auditorium and other rooms in the new building were fre- 

 quently used during the year for meetings and public gatherings hav- 

 ing objects akin to those of the Institution, and also by several 

 bureaus of the Government for official purposes. 



The lecture courses of The Washington Society of the Fine Arts, 

 three in number, were lield in the auditorium, as during the previous 

 year, between November 1 and April 15. They consisted of six lec- 

 tures on architecture and the allied arts, given on Wednesday eve- 

 nings; six lectures on modern masters in art, given on Tuesday 

 evenings; and five lectures on the development of opera, given on 

 Saturday evenings. The first two courses were illustrated with lan- 

 tern slides, while piano and vocal illustrations were employed in 

 connection with the last. For its regular meetings, which num- 

 bered 18, the Anthropological Society of Washington occupied the 

 large assembly hall, except on one occasion when the auditorium was 

 utilized. These meetings, which were held at 4.30 o'clock in the 

 afternoon, generally on the first and third Tuesday of each month, 

 continued from October 28 to June 4. The Spanish American Athe- 

 neum was given the use of the auditorium on the evenings of Feb- 

 ruary 3 and 25 for its meetings and lectures. For the thirty-second 

 stated meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, which was in 

 session during the mornings and afternoons from April 6 to 8, the 

 auditorium and other accommodations were granted. 



