Appendix IV. 



CIRCULARS RESPECTING PERIODICALS. 



circular to the curators op the u. s. national mttseum. 



March 19, 1887. 



Dear Sir: It is my desire to obtain from you (1; a list of those periodicals, whether 

 fcrausactious of societies or otherwise, which you deem most nearly iudispeiisahle to 

 your owu departu'.ent. This iu(|uiry is irrespective of the fact that the Museuiu does 

 already possess them or not, and the list should be confined to the most essentially 

 necessary titles; if possible, not over twenty in number. 



I may add, to make ray meaniug plainer, that standard transactions of well-known 

 societies concerned in all branches of science, such as the Royal Society of London, 

 the Coniptes Rcudus de I'Institut of Pans, etc., and well known periodicals admitting 

 the discussion of all scientific topics; such as Science, the American Journal of 

 Science, Nature, etc., are excluded from such a list, which is meant to cover only 

 those technical periodicals of most special use to your own department. 



In addition to this list, and quite distinct from it, I should be pleased to nave you 

 give .a list (2) of recent serials, whether transactions or otherwise, of interest in con- 

 nection with your special investigations, even if not exclusively devoted to them. To 

 be more definite, let us say anything of real import.auce or even ct)nsideral)le ]>romise 

 commenced within the past twelve years. There need be no limit to the number of 

 titles in this list, but the more important one should have a distinctive check; and I 

 should bo very glad if it might suit your convenience to let me have it in this week 

 or next. 



While the above two lists .are especially important and are desired at your earliest 

 convenience, I should be pleased to have you supply me in addition with a list of 

 every serial publication which a Avorker in your field may expect to have not wholly 

 infi'eqnent occasion to consult; and here again I should be glad to have you indicate 

 those of most value. 



S. P. Laxglky, 



Assistant Secretary. 



GENERAL CIRCULAR. 



June ir>, 1887. 



Dear Sir: The Smithsonian Institution, in pursuit of the object of its foundation, 

 the ''increase and diiiusion of knowledge among men," has always aimed to keep a 

 complete list of all transactions and proceedings of learned societies and of all jour- 

 nals devoted to science and the useful arts thioughout the world. This, at le.-ist, is 

 the aim ; but it must often fall short of the fulfillnu>nt of so large a purpose and from 

 time to time find its lists need revising, and this in two different particulars. First, 

 in adding to its lists new societies or new periodicals which have arisen since the 

 last revisal; second, in repairing lacunar in its sets of long established society trans- 

 actions or technical journals, and for this end it needs to know which still maintains 

 a prominent place, so that gaps in the more important ones shall receive first atten- 

 tion. 



It has been suggested to me that you are able, and may perhaps bo willing, to 

 assist us by supplying under these two heads the names of those special transactions 



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