KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



In tlieSniitbsoiiiauIioiKH't t'ui 1851 jippea red for the lirst time an "ap- 

 pendix," containinj^' an account of American explorations for the years 

 1853 and 1851, by Prof. S. F. Baird ; a full report of lectures delivered 

 before the Institution by Marsh, Brainard, Loomis, Chauuing, Reed, and 

 Russell ; extracts from the scientific correspondence of the Institution ; 

 and miscellaneous papers relating; to American archaeology, geology, 

 etc. This general appendix to the x\niinal Report of the Regents has 

 been regularly continued to the i)resent time (for more than the third of 

 a century), and has served to bring the Smithsonian Report into great 

 popular demand. 



In the Report for 1880 (after the abandonment by the publishing- 

 house — the Harpers, of New York — of an "Annual Record of Science 

 and Industry "), a systematic " Record of Scieutitic Progress," compiled 

 by various specialists, was made the principal feature of the general ap- 

 pendix by my predecessor. This annual scientific summary, however 

 acceptable and however conformable to the plans originally laid down, 

 has labored under two very serious difliculties : First, that from the vex- 

 atious delay of publication the record of recent science lost much of its 

 interest and value; and, secondly, that the expense of its preparation 

 (averaging $2,500 per annum) has become more and more a tax upon 

 the Smithsonian income that could be but illy aftbrded. To this may 

 be added a practical difficulty in getting all the different summaries 

 comi)leted at the time of making up the general appendix, so that au 

 omission of one or more branches occurred in every report. Under these 

 circumstances, it has beconie a serious question as to the manner in 

 which this appendix to the Report is to be maintained, if maintained 

 at all. 



An additional complication of the question may be referred to, arising 

 out of the construction given to an act of Congress approved August 

 4, 188G, and sin(!e continued from year to year, whicii prescribes that 

 heads of departments " before transmitting their animal reports to Con- 

 gress, the printing of which is chargeable to this appropriation, shall 

 cause the same to be carefully examined, and shall exclude therefrom 

 all matter including engravings, maps, drawings, and illustrations, ex- 

 cept such as they shall certify in their letters transmitting such re|)orts 

 to be necessary, and to relate entirely to the transaction of public busi- 

 ness." (Statutes, Forty-ninth Congress, lirst session ; chapter 902, 

 page 255.) 



This restriction has been held by the Public Printer to apply equally 

 to the reports of the Regents to Congress, which are printed under the 

 provisions of this appropriation. Tiiis consideration seems to furnish 

 an additional reason for having the supplementary matter of the report 

 placed under a special clause of authorization, for the avoidance of all 

 question as to the "necessity and entire relation to the public business" 

 of such general scientific information. 



The second series to be mentioned under this head consists of the 



