28 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Africa. — This country is represented by a few objects of art and in- 

 dustry, while from New Guinea the collection of weapons, implements, 

 &c., obtained from Mr. A. P. Goodwin, has added very greatly to our 

 representation of that little known island. 



Madagascar. — Much attention has been directed to explorations in 

 Madagascar. Lieut. M. A. Shufeldt, of the Navy, left Norfolk a year or 

 two ago on the " Enterprise," and was enabled to leave the ship and spend 

 some time in Madagascar. On this occasion he made a large number of 

 photographic negatives, which were sent to the Smithsonian Institution 

 for development, a set of the prints having been presented to the National 

 Museum. These contained most interesting illustrations of the life, cus- 

 toms, and physiognomy of the people, as well as of the scenery which 

 they inhabit. 



The Sandwich Islands. — The greater part of the exhibit made by the 

 Hawaiian Government at the Boston Foreign Exhibition «-as secured 

 and transferred to the National Museum. These, with the many speci- 

 mens brought home by the Wilkes expedition in its famous cruise, ren- 

 der the representation of that country very full and complete. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



Not much has been done during the year in the printing and distribu- 

 tion of special publications by the Smithsonian Institution, although the 

 activity of the National Museum in this respect has been very great. 

 It is expected, however, that during the year 1885, quite a number of 

 volumes will be ])rinted and issued to institutions and libraries in cor- 

 respondence with it ; these to appear in one or other of the three series, 

 " Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledg(>," in quarto (of which 23 vol- 

 umes have been i^rinted), the '' Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections," 

 in octavo (now numbering 27 volumes), and the annual "Eeports " of the 

 Institution, extending from 1847 to 1882, inclusive. 



The " Smithsonian Contributions " and "Miscellaneous Collections" 

 include all publications made primarily under the auspices of the Na- 

 tional Museum, as well as the annual " Proceedings" of the three princi- 

 pal societies of Washington, namely, the Philosophical, the Anthropolog- 

 ical, and the Biological Societies. The societies in question pay for 

 the type-setting of their volumes, and print an edition for distribution 

 tion to their own members. The Smithsonian Institution, however, 

 charges itself with supplying these books to public libraries and learned 

 societies at home and abroad, and has the pages stereotyped, and the 

 usual edition of 1,500 copies printed at its own expense. 



The first publication made by the Smithsonian Institution, nearly 

 forty years ago, consisted of a memoir by Messrs. Squier and Davis 

 upon the ancient monuments of the Mississippi Valley, a work which 

 marks the initial point of the great advancement made in the depart- 

 ment of archsBology in later years. The subject continues to be one 

 of much interest to the Institution, special attention haviui; been 



