XVI JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



On motion of Mr. Cox it was — 



Eesolved, That the income of the Institution for the fiscal year end- 

 ing Jane 30, 1890, be appropriated for the service of the Institution, to 

 be expended by the Secratary, with the advice of the executive com- 

 mittee, upon the basis of the operations described in the hist annual 

 rei)ort of said committee, with tull discretion on the part of the Secre- 

 tary as to items of expenditures properly falling under each of the 

 heads embraced in the established conduct of the Institution. 



The Secretary presented his annual report, which in accordance with 

 tbe rules of the Board had been printed and distributed in advance to 

 the members. He expressed his readiness to make additional explana- 

 tions or remarks in regard to any part of the operations of the Institu- 

 tion. 



Mr, Cullom inquired as to the Zoological Park, and the prospect of 

 its establishment. He expressed great interest in the project and hoped 

 it would speedily be realized. 



The Secretary briefly urged the importance to science of the measure, 

 as the means of rescuing from speedy extinction some of the animals 

 which formerly inhabited this continent in vast numbers, and ex- 

 pressed his fear that if the land was not now secured (which in its nat- 

 ural state was pre-eminently fitted for the Park) within a year, so-called 

 "improvements" would entirely destroy its character and adaptability. 



General Meigs stated that thirty years ago he had pointed out to the 

 Government the desirability of securing the Rock Greek region for a 

 public park, and the laud could then have been procured for an insig- 

 nificant sum. 



After a general expression of opinion by the Regents in favor of the 

 proposed Zoological Park, the members of the Board in the Senate and 

 House were requested to urge the passage of the bill by Congress as 

 speedily as possible. 



The Secretary stated that a reference had been made at the last an- 

 nual meeting of a bill introduced in the Senate December 12, 1887, for 

 the erection of a bronze statue of the late Professor Baird. This bill 

 had passed the Senate unanimously February 9, 1888, and was referred 

 in the House to the Committee on Library, which had not made a re- 

 port. 



Mr. Cox stated that if the bill came up for action in the House he 

 had no doubt it would be favorably acted on. 



The Secretary made the following remarks : 



The Smithsonian contribution to the Library of Congress now con- 

 sists of over a quarter of a million titles, forming a collection of its 

 kind absolutely unequaled in the world, created mainly out of the 

 Smithsonian income and i^ractically a donation to the General Govern- 

 ment. Further, nearly a quarter of the Smithsonian yearly income is 

 indirectly devoted to the increment of this great collection. 



It had been hoped that this collection would have been kept in a hall 

 distinct from other books in the Library of Congress, but the exigen- 



