6 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



a guard dog — if he knocks out his teeth he renders him useless, while 

 if he leaves the lion his teeth the lion eats him. 



" 1 remain, dear sir, yours, very sincerely, 



"James L. Maoie. 

 " I beg of you to make my best compliments to your father. A let- 

 ter directed as follows will reach me : Monsieur Macie, Hotel de Pare 

 Eoyal, Eue de Colombier, F. S. G., A Paris. 

 " To Davies Giddy,* Esq., 



" Tredred, near Marazian, Cornwall, Angleterre.^^ 



This letter is indorsed by Davies Gilbert (formerly Giddy): " Smith-- 

 son. J. L. Macie. 1792. May the 9th." 



Mr. Davies Gilbert was sheriff of Cornwall in 1792. 



THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



It is with regret that I announce the resignation of Hon. Peter Parker, 

 on April 17, 1884, of the office of member of the Board of Eegents and of 

 the Executive Committee. Dr. Parker has performed these functions 

 for many years, and always with zeal and fidelity. His advancing years 

 and the great amount of labor required from the Executive Committee 

 in the way of auditing the accounts of the Institution, &c., made him 

 firm in insisting upon the acceptance of his resignation against many 

 protests. His place was accordingly filled by Congress by the election 

 of Dr. James C. Welling, president of Columbian University of this city, 

 on May 13. Dr. Welling was requested by the remainder of the Execu 

 tive Committee — General Sherman and Eev. Dr. Maclean — to take Dr. 

 Parker's place on that committee. 



The term of Eev. Dr. ]ST>ah Porter as Eegent having expired, he was 

 re-elected by Congress on March 3 for another term of six years. 



ACTING SECRETARY. 



In view of the importance of having some one, notably an officer of 

 the Institution, to exercise the functions of Acting Secretary in the 

 event of the extended absence, disability, or death of the Secretary, a 

 law was passed January 24, 1879, giving to the Chancellor the power 

 to make such selection ; and Mr. W. J. Ehees, the chief clerk, was ap- 

 pointed to fill the position. The Board at its last meeting found some 

 informality or uncertainty in the act of Congress, and the following 

 act, prepared by Hon. G. F. Edmunds, of the Senate, one of the Ee- 

 gents, was passed, and approved on May 13, 1884 : 



An act to provide for the appointment of an Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian 



Institution. 



PuMic, No. 31, Forty-eighth Congress, first session. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assembled, That the Chancellor of the Smith- 



*The family name of Davies Gilbert was Giddy. At his marriage, in 1808, he as- 

 tjumed his wife's natoe, Gilbert. 



