REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 21 



from the Smithoniau fund, commeusurate rather with the abilities of 

 the Institution than with its wishes, have been made this year to aid 

 in physical science in addition to the aid so largely given to bioloigcal 

 and ethnological science through the Museum, Bureau of Ethnology, 

 and Zoological Park. 



The subscription of twenty copies of the Astronomical Journal, 

 which are distributed abroad as exchanges of the Institution, has been 

 continued. 



To the Lick Observatory, through its director, Professor Holden, a 

 small grant has been made for the purchase of photographic plates 

 and apparatus to be used in securing photographs of the moon, and es- 

 pecially of certain regions on a large scale, the results of the work be- 

 ing available for publication by the Institution. 



Aid has also been promised Prof. Albert A. Michelson, of Clark 

 Uuiversitj^, Worcester, Mass., in his important investigations for the 

 determination of a standard of length that shall depend upon the length 

 of a wave of light. 



A small grant has been made to Mr. F. A. Seely, of the United States 

 Patent Office, for the purchase of certain objects of arch .geological in- 

 terest, during the course of a contemplated journey in Spain. 



Assignment of rooms for scientific work. — A room in the basement, 

 which is specially suited for delicate physical measurements, on account 

 of its freedom from tremor, has been continued at the disposal of the 

 V. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey for pendulum experiments, and two 

 office rooms have also been assigned to the temporary use of the 

 Zoological Park Commission. The Eegents' room, in the south tower, 

 was granted for a meeting of the American members of the committee 

 on the " International Standards for Iron and Steel" on February 19, 

 1890. 



Facilities for study in the Museum have been accorded to a number 

 of students, as stated in describing the Museum work, and under special 

 conditions instruction has been given in taxidermy and photography. 

 The lecture hall in the Museum has been used by authority of the Exec- 

 utive Committee for the meetings of the National Academy and other 

 scientific organizations and for the Saturday lecture courses. 



Toner lecture fund. — This fund, which hasan estimated value of about 

 $3,000, is in the care of a board of trustees, of which the secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution is ex officio chairman. No lecture has been 

 delivered this year under the auspices of this fund. The lecture de- 

 livered by Dr. Harrison Allen, on May 29, 1889, on the "Clinical Study 

 of the Skull," has been printed. 



American Historical Association. — A bill to incorporate the Ameri- 

 can Historical Association, which provided that the Association should 

 report annually to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and that 

 the Secretary should communicate to Congress the whole of such re- 

 ports, or such portion thereof as he might see fit, finally became a law 

 on January 4, 1889. 



