40 KKrORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1903. 



On Doceuibor 27 several interesting talks, illustrated with lantern 

 slides, were given by members of the Society for the Preservation of 

 Wild Flowers. 



In the evening of January 1, 1903, an informal reception was ten- 

 dered to the members of the American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science, the American Society of Naturalists, and other 

 affiliated societies, then in session in this city. 



During February and March a course of free Saturday afternoon 

 lectures was given, under the auspices of. the Biological Society of 

 Washington, as follows: February 14, An entomologist in China and 

 Japan, by Mr. C. L. Marlatt; February 21, Ancient birds and their 

 associates, by Mr. Frederic A. Lucas; February 28, Views of Liberia, 

 by Prof. O. F. Cook; March 7, The making of new plants, by Mr. 

 H. J. Webber; March 14, Three summers in Alaska, by Mr. Wilfred 

 H. Osgood. 



On April 4 the lecture hall was used for the graduating exercises of 

 the Naval Medical School, and on April 14 for those of the Array 

 Medical School. 



The National Academy of Sciences held its annual meeting from 

 April 21 to 23, 1903, the business meetings taking place in the offices 

 of the assistant secretary, and the reading of papers in the lecture 

 hall. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



One of the most onerous duties which has devolved upon the 

 Museum from the time of its establishment has been the furnishing 

 of information in response to inquiries from the public at large upon 

 all the various subjects within the scope of its several departments. 

 The letters received containing such requests average several daily 

 throughout the 3^ear, and are rarel}^ confined to a single subject, often 

 relating to collections of greater or less size which are transmitted 

 for identitication. Nearly 900 lots of specimens were received under 

 these conditions during the past year. These communications also 

 have reference, in many cases, to the building up and maintenance of 

 collections, the construction of cases, the installation, labeling, and 

 cataloguing of specimens, and other topics connected with museum 

 administration. Every communication of this character, made in 

 good faith, is responded to as promptly as possible, although the 

 labor involved draws very heavily upon the time of both the scien- 

 tific and the clerical staffs. 



A considerable proportion of the work of furnishing information 

 is accomplished through the medium of Museum publications, of 

 which more than 20,000 volumes and pamphlets were distributed 

 during the year, besides the sendings to regular correspondents. 



