10 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 192 8 



tion itself, but the majority made possible through the generosity of 

 friends of the Institution or through arrangements with other 

 agencies equally interested in the advancing of knowledge. 



Besides 18 States of the United States, Smithsonian parties worked 

 in Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, Labrador, Mexico, Colombia, 

 Chile, Argentina, Brazil, the West Indies, including Hispaniola, 

 Cuba, and Jamaica, several countries in Europe, South West Africa, 

 Formosa, Sumatra, Siam, and China. The branches of the Institu- 

 tion interested in field exploration are the National Museum, the 

 Bureau of American Ethnology, the Astrophysical Observatory, and 

 the Freer Gallery of Art. Many of the expeditions are described in 

 the reports of these bureaus, which form appendixes to this report, 

 or in the Smithsonian Exploration Pamphlet, published annually. 



SMITHSONIAN SCIENTIFIC SERIES 



During the year a definite agreement became effective Avith the 

 Smithsonian Institution Series (Inc.), of New York, to publish and 

 distribute a series of 12 books, to be known as the Smithsonian Scien- 

 tific Series, under the editorship of the Secretary. The books are 

 intended to present an interesting picture of many of the scientific 

 activities of the Institution and its branches, and are to be written 

 in popular style, profusely illustrated. The first four volumes are 

 expected to appear in the autumn of 1928 and the other eight will 

 follow in two groups of four at intervals of several months. 



The first four books were in proof at the close of the fiscal year and 

 the others were in various stages of preparation. The titles of the 

 first four books are a^ follows: 



1. The Smithsonian Institution, by W. P. True. 



2. The Sun and the Welfare of Man, by C. G. Abbot. 



3. Minerals from Earth and Sky, by G. P. Merrill and W. F. 

 Foshag. 



4. North American Indians, compiled from the source material of 

 the Bureau of American Ethnology by R. A. Palmer. 



Two motives prompted the Institution to undertake the publica- 

 tion of this series: First, the desire to promote the diffusion of 

 knowledge, and second, the desire to add to its insufficient resources 

 for research and publication. It is hoped that the royalties accruing 

 to the Institution from the sale of these books will continue over 

 a long period and will contribute substantially to its available 

 resources for scientific work. 



The list of subscribers to the James Smithson Memorial Edition 

 will be found ^ in Appendix 11. 



» Brought up to date as of Oct. 15, 1928, when the manuscript of this report went to 

 the printer. 



