S. Mis. 53. 33 



benefits derivable by the library from its connexion with the system 

 of active operations had not been over-eslimated. A considerable 

 portion of the money expended in publications returns in the shape of 

 books for the library. These, again, are constantly increasing the 

 efficiency and interest of the publications. 



The value of the books received by exchange cannot be estimated by 

 their numbers, or even their nominal price. They are works of the 

 first importance to the scientific student, and which it is very difficult 

 to procure by purchase, even with large funds at command. 



The most important of the works procured by exchange are the 

 memoirs and proceedings of learned societies. A more particular ac- 

 count of these is given in the report of Professor Baird. It is seldom 

 the case that a societ}^ which has been in operation many years, is in 

 possession of the earlier volumes of its memoirs. On this account 

 many of our sets are incomplete. The deficiencies can only be supplied 

 by purchase, as opportunities may occur. Our collection of the later 

 publications of learned societies throughout the world is by far the 

 most extensive in this countr}^, and we hope it will, before many years, 

 be made complete. 



Among other costly and important works which have been presented 

 to the hbrary during the year, the following deserve to be particularly 

 mentioned: 



Voyage autour du Monde sur la corvette la. Favorite, 1830— '31-'32, 

 in 5 vols. 8vo., with 84 maps, charts, and engravings, in folio. 



Voyage autour da Monde sur la frcgate la Venus, 1836-9, in 9 vols. 

 Svo., with four atlases, in folio, of nwps and illustrations. 



Voyage au Pole sud sur les corvettes L^ Astrolabe et la Zelee, 1837-40, 

 in 17 vols. 8vo., with illustrations of scenery and natural history in 85 

 livraisons folio, and a hydrographical atlas of 57 sheets. 



Voyage autour du Globe de la frcgate la Thetis et de la corvette 

 L'' Esperance, 1824-26, in 2 vols. 4to., with an atlas in folio. 



These works published by the French government are superbly 

 printed and illustrated, and are of great scientific value. They were 

 presented by the " Ministere de la Marine," in exchange for our own 

 publications sent to the library of that department. 



Gay's Historia fisica y iwlitica de Chile, in 14 vols. 8vo. and 1 vol. 

 folio of plates, an elegant work of great value, has been presented by 

 the government of Chili, through Lieutenant J. M. Cilliss. 



A donation from the Honorable East India Company, in 29 volumes, 

 mostly in quarto, comprises grammars and dictionaries of the Mah- 

 ratta, Malayalim, Burmese, Murathee, Teloogoo, Carnataca, Bengale, 

 Sanskrit, and Hindustani languages, besides other works of great in- 

 terest to the philological student. 



The Board of Admiralty of the British government have presented to 

 the Institution 1,574 of the charts, plans, and views published by order 

 of the Lords Commissioners. This is believed to be the largest collec- 

 tion of them in America, and may truly be considered a munificent gift. 

 From several of the States of the Union we have received series of 

 public documents, particularly from New York and INIassachusetts. 

 Nor have we been forgotten by the most distant members of the Confed- 

 eracy — California, Florida, and Minnesota — to which the publications 

 3 



