10 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



assistants Mr. C. A. Saunders, Mr. C. T. Child, and Mr. F. L. O. Wads- 

 worth. A photographer and a laborer complete the present force of 

 the Observatory. 



lu tlie latter part of the year, Dr. Hallock, to my regret, advised me of 

 his proximate call to another duty, and the work was later left tempo- 

 rarily in the charge of Mr. Wadsworth, who had joined the staff in June, 

 but who was sent to Europe in July, for the purpose, elsewhere referred 

 to, of contributing to the work of establishing a wave-length standard 

 under Professor Michelson. The labor has been carried on under the 

 disadvantages of these interruptions, and also under others of another 

 kind, due to the fact that the extremely delicate apparatus, which is 

 used in a perpetually darkened room, is, by reason of the location of the 

 temporary observatory shed, in proximity to trafBc-laden sti'eets, where 

 there is danger that the passing vehicles affect the accuracy of the ob- 

 servations both by earth tremors and by magnetic disturbances. Not- 

 withstanding these latter drawbacks, much better results have been 

 obtained than it was supposed could be reached in such a situation, 

 and these, as I have said, I trust, another year will enable the Institu- 

 tion to make jiublic. 



EXPLORATIONS. 



Several explorations have been carried on during the year by the 

 TJ. S. Fish Commission, resulting in the transfer to the Museum of many 

 large and varied collections of zoological, botanical, and geological 

 material. Dr. W. L. Abbott has continued liis work in Asia and has 

 contributed collections made in Kashmir. Dr. Edgar A. Mearns,of the 

 Internati<inal Boundary Commission, has sent several large collections 

 of natural-history specimens obtained near the border line between the 

 United States and Mexico. Mr. P. L. Jouy has made important col- 

 lections in Arizona and New Mexico. Collections of the fishes of Nica- 

 ragua have been received from Mr. C. W. Richmond. 



Mr. W. W. Eockhill, the distinguished traveler, whose previous ex- 

 plorations have been mentioned in my reports and who has already 

 deposited in the Museum very valuable collections which he made illus- 

 trating the religious practices, occupations, and amusements of various 

 peoples in different i^arts of China, Thibet, and Turkestan, has started 

 upon a second journey to hitherto almost unknown parts of Thibet, 

 with such aid (much more limited than I could wish) as it was possible 

 for me to afford him. From his known qualities as an explorer it may 

 be confidently expected that his journey will result in imx)ortant con- 

 tributions to our knowledge of this country. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The number of ])ublications during the year has been about the same 

 as in preceding years. 



As has been frequently stated, the publications of the Institution 

 proper are of three classes : First, the series of " Smithsonian Contribu- 



