10 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1906. 
of publications issued during the year was exceptional, comprising 8 
volumes, though some of these were begun the year before. They 
consist of 1 annual report, 3 volumes of proceedings, and 4 bulletins. 
Of the papers they contain, 81 were actually issued during the year, all 
descriptive of the collections in the Museum except the administra- 
tive reports. The number of copies of volumes and separates dis- 
tributed was over 100,000. 
Of duplicate specimens separated from the reserve collections, over 
20,000 were distributed to educational establishments throughout the 
country and above 17,000 were used in making exchanges. 
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS. 
On December 21, 1905, the directors of several of the large museums 
in the United States met at the National Museum to discuss the 
expediency of organizing for America a society corresponding in its 
aims with the Museums Association of Great Britain. As a result of 
the deliberations at this time a call was issued for a general meeting, 
which was held at the American Museum of Natural History, New 
York, on May 15 and 16, 1906, the attendance being large and repre- 
sentative of museums of art, as well as of natural history and eth- 
nology. An organization was effected by the adoption of a temporary 
constitution and the election of a board of officers. The publication 
of some form of periodical in the interest of museums was proposed, 
The importance of this movement, so auspiciously inaugurated, can 
not be overestimated, since the opportunity for interchange of views 
will surely stimulate the activities of museums everywhere and tend 
to increase their benefits in behalf of the public, for which they are 
instituted. 
