THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 31 



APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 



Sir : I beg leave to present herewith a report for the year 1854 of 

 operations in such departments of the Smithsonian Institution as have 

 been particularly entrusted by you to my care. 

 Respectfully submitted, 



SPENCER F. BAIRD, 



Assistant Secretary. 

 To Joseph Hknry, L.L. D., 



Secretary of the SmitJison'um Institution. 



1. PUBLICATIONS. 



The sixth volume of Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, 

 although for the most part printed in 1853, was not published and dis- 

 tributed until the present year. The seventh volume, to consist mainly 

 of Lapham's Memoir on the Ancient Remains of Wisconsin, is in hand, 

 though delayed somewhat by the failure of the contractor to supply 

 paper. The plates, over si.Kty in number, are nearly all lithographed 

 and printed, and the numerous wood-cuts engraved. The paper, by 

 Professor Bailey, on new microscopic organisms, with one steel plate, 

 has been printed and distributed to microscopists in advance of its 

 appearance in the full volume. 



The octavo publications during the year are as follows : 



Eighth annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, pp. 310. 



On the construction of catalogues of libraries, and of a general cata- 

 logue. Second edition, pp. 96. 



Directions for collecting, preserving, and transporting specimens of 

 natural history, prepared for the use of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Second edition, pp. 28. 



List of foreign institutions in correspondence with the Smithsonian 

 Institution, pp.20. 



List of domestic institutions in correspondence with the Smithsonian 

 Institution, pp. 16. 



a— FOREIGN EXCHANGES. 



The following table exhibits the statistics of the sixth transmission 

 of packages to Europe, made by the Institution in June, 1854. 



The circular issued by the Institution early in the spring, offering its 

 services to the scientific societies of the country, in the transmission ot 

 packages to Europe, was eagerly responded to by a large number. 

 The rules requiring that all parcels be delivered free of cost in Wash- 

 ington, that each one be legibly addressed with the name of the donor, 

 and that a separate invoice be sent by mail, or apart from the pack- 

 ages, were pretty generally complied with. It is to be regretted, how- 



