S. Mis. 53. 95 



Institution. A letter from Thomas Bland, esq., on the part of the 

 family of Prof. A., was read, ofFerinir to refund the money or send to 

 the Institution a portion of the collections in natural liistmy made by 

 Prof. Adams in his last expedition. 



The subject was referred to the Secretary, with the understanding 

 that the collections be accepted, and that the repayment of the money 

 be not required from the executors of Prof. Adams. 



The Secretary presented the subject of the compensation of Dr. J. 

 G. Fliigel, of Leipsic, the agent for Smithsonian exchanges in Central 

 Europe. 



The following resolution, offered by Mr. Bache, was adopted : 



Resolved, That the compensation of Dr. J. G. Fliigel, agent at Leipsic 

 for the reception and distril)ution of pul:)lications on the part of the 

 Smithsonian Institution tor Central America, be three hundred dollars 

 per annum until otherwise ordered by the Board. 



The reading of the Secretary's report was continued, including an 

 account of the operations in meteorology during the past year; also 

 including the operations relative to the librar}'', under the care of Prof. 

 Jewett. 



An extensive collection of MS. bills, inventories, and other accounts 

 of business in private English fariilies, from 1632 to 1750, in fifty-four 

 volumes, presented by Mr. J. O. Ha Hi well, was laid on the table for 

 examination ; and, on motion, the following resolution was adopted: 



Rcsolv'd, That the Secretary be requested to transmit to Mr.. J. O. 

 Halliwell, of London, an expression of the grateful sense entertained 

 by the Board of Regents of the muniiicent gift received from him, and 

 of the honor done the Institution by selecting it as a place of deposit 

 for these interesting documents. 



The operations of the stereotyping department were presented by 

 the Secretary, and a statement made of its capability of preparing and 

 printing catalogiies of all the libraries in the United States. 



On motion, the following ],)reamble and resolution were adopted : 



Whereas a plan for stereotyping catalogues by separate titles, and 

 for preparing and printing the catalogues of the various libraries in the 

 United States in unil()rm style, and at greatly diminished cost, as well 

 as for forming a general catalogue of all these libraries, was presented 

 to the Smithsonian Institution and referred to two commissions — one 

 to report upon the literary advantages of the plan, and the other upon 

 the practicability of the means proposed ft>r its execution: 



And whereas, on the recommendation of these commissions, the 

 Smiihsonian Institution has incurred the ex])ense of procuring type 

 and apparatus, of educating workmen, and of" developing and perfect- 

 ing processes to be employed, so that all arrangements are now made 

 for the successful prosecution of the work : 



And whereas the first commission appointed to examine the plan, 

 in their report, recommended that, " In order that a bei^inning might 

 be made in the execution of the plan under circumstances highly 

 favorable to its success, the undersigned take the liberty of suggesting 

 that it would be advisable for the Regents of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion to obtain the requisite authority to prepare a catalogue of the 

 library of Congrqss on the above described plan :" Therefore, 



