Appendix IV. 



CIRCULARS RESPECTING PERIODICALS. 



CIRCULAU TO TIIR CURATORS OF THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



March 19, 1S87. 



Dear Sir: It is my desire to obtain from you (1; a list of thoso periodicals, wbetlier 

 trausactioDS of societies or otherwise, which you deem most nearly indispensable to 

 your own department. This inquiry is irrespective of the fact that the Museum does 

 already posvsess tbem or not, and the list should be confined to the most essentially 

 necessary titles; if possible, not over twenty in number. 



I may add, to make my meaning plainer, that standard transactions of well-known 

 societies concerned in all branches of science, such as the Royal Society of London, 

 the Comptes Reiulus de iTnstitut of Pans, etc., and well known periodicals admitting 

 the discussion of all scientific topics; such as Science, the American Journal of 

 Science, Nature, etc., are excluded from such a list, which is meant to cover only 

 those technical periodicals of most special use to your own dei)artment. 



In addition to this list, and quite distinct from it, I should be pleased to nave you 

 give a list (2) of recent serials, whether transactions or otherwise, of interest in con- 

 iiectiou with your special investigations, even if not exclusively devoted to them. To 

 be more definite, let us say anything of real importance or even considerable promise 

 commenced within the past twelve years. There need be no limit to the number of 

 titles in this list, but the more important one should have a distinctive check; and 1 

 should be very glad if it might suit your convenience to let me have it in this week 

 or next. 



While the above two lists are especially important and are desired at your earliest 

 convenience, 1 should be pleased to have you supply mo in addition with a list of 

 every serial publication which a worker in your fiehl may exptict to have not wholly 

 infrequent occasion to consult; and here again I should bo glail to have yon indicate 

 those of most value. 



S. P. Lang LEY, 



Assistant Secretary. 



general circular. 



June 15, 1887. 



Dear Sir: The Smithsonian Institution, in jmrsuit oMhe object of its foundation, 

 the ''increase and diffusiou of knowledge among men/' has always aimed to keep a 

 comidete list of all transactions and proceedings of learned societies and of all jour- 

 nals devoted to science and the useful arts thioughout the Avorld. This, at least, is 

 the aim ; but it must often fall short of t]n: fullillment of so large a i)urpose and from 

 time to time find its lists need revising, and this in two dilferent particulars. First, 

 in .adding to its lists new societies or new p(>riodicals which have .arisen since the 

 last revisal; second, in repairing lacun:u in its sets of long established society trans- 

 actions or technical journals, and for this end it needs to know which still maintains 

 a prominent place, so that gaps in the more important ones shall receive first atten- 

 tion. 



It has been suggested to me that you are able, and may perhaps bo willing, to 

 assist us by supplying under these two heads the names of those special transactions 



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