REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 11 



tioiKs ti) Knowledge," in i^uarto foiiii, (•<>iii])iisin,n' original memoirs of 

 researelies believed to i^reseut new truths, and whic.li, as required, 

 are liberally illustrated with tijiures or plates; secondly, the series of 

 "Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections," in octaA"(> size, contaiuiiig' 

 special reports, systematic lists of synopses of species, etc., whether 

 from the organic or the inorganic world, instructions to naturalists for 

 collecting and preserving specimens, special bibliographies, tabulated 

 results, and other aids to scientific investigation not generally requir- 

 ing illustrations; and lastly, the series of " Smithsonian Annual Ke- 

 ports," presenting to Congress, through the Secretary, the condition of 

 the Institution, accompanied, under the early plan of Professor Henry, 

 by scientific articles from competent writers, either original or selected, 

 but as a rule in un technical terms, representing the advances made in va- 

 rious departments of research and frequently admitting of illustration by 

 plates or figures. Th^se articles are intended to be of interest not alone 

 to the correspondents and collaborators of the Tnstitution, but to that 

 large number of the educated ])ublic who follow such statements with 

 profit when they are presented in popularly intelligible form. 



SmitlisoHUdi Co)it}'ihi(tio)is to Knoirkulf/c. — The only publication of the 

 year in this series is a memoir detailing the results of original experi- 

 ments in aerodynamics by the Secretary,* and occu])ying 11;j quarto 

 pages, illustrated with 11 figures and 10 i)lates. 



S)nitJi>ioniaH Miscellaneous (JoUeelions. — The number of titles in this 

 series during the year is 47, of which none seem to call for any partic- 

 ular comment. 



Smiilisonian Annual lieporf. — I have referred in my report for 1S89 

 to a modification of the plan on which the Appendix was ])repared. 

 From 1880 to 1888 the Appendix was chiefly devoted to an annual sum- 

 mary of progress in various branches of science. The growing inefll- 

 ciency of this summary, due to causes elsewhere mentioned, led me to 

 return in the report for 188!> to the earlier ])lan of Prof. Heury, whicli 

 was to present a selection of papers by eminent, or at least conqietent, 

 expositois, chosen from the scientific literature of the year. This modi- 

 fication, or rather this return to tiie nu'thod of the earlier reports, 

 has been continued, and seems to me(^t with general api)reciation at the 

 hands of the correspond<'nts (»l"the Tnstitution and others to whom the 

 reports arii sent. The re})ort for 1800 issued during the year embraces 

 a considerable range of scientific investigation and discussion. Many 

 of the papeis are the work of distinguished investigators, and all are 

 presented in untechnical language so as to interest the laigest number. 



Lunar jphotographs. — I have devoted considerable thought to a plan 

 for publishing a work on the moon, which shall represent the ]>resent 

 knowledge of the physical features of our satellite. A study of the 



* Resolved, That the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institntion he requested to con- 

 tinue his researches in i>liysical science, and to itrcscnt sucli lucts and princii)k'S us 

 may he devehiped lor luildication in tlic Sniithsouiau Contributions. (Journal of 

 Proceedings of Board of Regents, .January 26, 1847. ) 



