EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



25 



3. Tabulating raiu-fiiU for Signal-Service stations, January, 1875, to 

 July, 1876. 



4. Making corrections and additions to rain-fall manuscript. 



5. Making indices to the rain-fall and maxima and minima tables. 



TELEaRAPHIC ANNOUNCEMENT OF ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES. 



The arrangement which was established between the Smithsonian I:i- 

 stitution and the Atlantic cable companies in 1873, by which free tele- 

 graphic transmission of astronomical discoveries was granted between 

 Europe and America, has been continued during the past year. 



The following is a list of the small planetoidal bodies discovered in 

 1877: 



KOTE. — Lumen (141) was independently discovered by Watson and Borelly in August, and Afhor 

 (161) by Palisa in October. 



EXCIIANaES. 



The literary and scientific exchanges inaugurated by the Institution 

 have increased during the past year in a greater ratio than ever before. 

 Four hundred and six boxes, averaging 7 cubic feet each, with a total 

 weight of nearly 100,000 pounds, and containing over 15,000 separate 

 parcels, were sent abroad by the Institution. During the year, 4,870 

 packages, each containing several articles, have been received from 

 abroad for distribution in this country. 



To show the high estimation in which this brarhch of the operatioas 

 of the Institution is held, as well as to give proper credit to the 

 parties who forward free of charge the packages of the Institution, we 

 republish, as usual, the following list : 



Cunard Steamship Compaay. 

 Anchor Steamship Company. 

 Pacific Mail Steamship Company. 

 Panama Railroad Company. 

 Pacific Steam Navigation Company. 

 New York and Mexico Steamship Company. 



New Y'ork and Brazil Steamship Company. 

 North German Lloyd Steamship Company. 

 Hamburg American Packet Company. 

 North Baltic Lloyd Steamship Comi^any. 

 Inman Steamship Company. 



The special thanks of the Institution are again tendered to the above- 

 mentioned companies for their enlightened liberality. 



We may also mention as an evidence of the high appreciation of the 

 character of the Smithsonian exchanges, that the packages bearing the 

 marks of the Institution are admitted free of duty into all foreign ports 



