34 KEPORT OF THE .SECKETAKY. 



question, to enlist bis services as a coadjutor by obtaining from him 

 a list of the publications not actually on our records which would be 

 most desirable in his own department. 



Medicine was omitted, but Belles Lettres, History, Law, Fine Arts, 

 and, in fact, Theology are evidently to be considered even in a purely 

 scientific list, at least so far as they illustrate anthropology. 



Periodicals devoted to science in its more restricted interpretation 

 generally fall under one of two great divisions : 



First, those connected with the biological, and second, those connected 

 with the physical, sciences. 



As the former are represented by many distinguished specialists 

 connected with the Smithsonian Institution as curators in the Museum 

 there was at first prepared a circular letter (Appendix IV) to these bio- 

 logical curators, requesting them to furnish — 



(1) "A list of those periodicals, whether transactions of societies or 

 otherwise, which were deemed most nearly indispensable to their re- 

 si)ective departments; " and 



(2) " A list of I'ecent serials, whether transactions or otherwise, of 

 interest in connection with the special investigations of the curators? 

 even if not exclusively devoted to them. " 



Pending the replies, which related almost altogether to biology, the 

 writer himself prepared a list of the main divisions and subdivisions of 

 physical science meant, with the preceding exceptions, to represent 

 every department of knowledge outside of the biological sciences. 



This list was submitted in April to Professors F. A. P. Barnard, 

 Samuel 11. Scudder, and 11. Carrington Bolton, with the requests — 



First. "To examine the list and see whether these headings them- 

 selves are judiciously chosen ; " and 



Next. "To indicate the names of the two most fitting persons, under 

 each head, to give advice as to the periodicals belonging to their re- 

 spective departments." The list was also submitted to the Hon. A. E. 

 Spofford, Librarian of Congress, and Mr. William J. Ehecs, the Chief 

 Clerk of the Smithsonian Institution. 



A full list of the names of eminent specialists who could advise in each 

 branch having been thus obtained, and the classification of subjects 

 having been determined in the manner above indicated, circuhir letters 

 (in three forms) were forwarded on the 9th of May, 1887. A third or 

 sui)plementary circular (in two forms) was mailed on the 15th of June, 

 1887. One of these, which willi ndicate the general character of all, is 

 given in Appendix IV. 



The circular letter of March 19, sent to twenty-six curators of the Na- 

 tional Museum, was responded to by twenty-tv/o curators, among whom 

 Prof. L. F. Ward was i)re-eminent for the extent and character of the 

 lists of periodicals specified (o53 titles). 



Of the circulars of May 9 and June 15, 1887, 274 copies were sent out 



