24 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



visitors. The most urgent present needs of the Park are 'a new 

 exhibition building for birds, the present one being in very bad 

 condition and much too small for the large crowds which visit it, 

 and a fund for the purchase of rare and unusual animals. This 

 fund might be increased by gift or bequest and by depositing in it 

 certain miscellaneous revenues of the park which ^are now turned 

 into the general fund of the Treasury, if this were authorized by an 

 act of Congress. 



ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY 



During the year arrangements were made, through the generosity 

 of Mr. John A. Roebling, to have sent to the Institution daily tele- 

 graphic reports of the solar constant value from the two solar i^adia- 

 tion stations at Montezuma, Chile, and Mount Harqua Hala, Ariz. 

 Experimental temperature forecasts for New York City, based on 

 these daily reports of solar changes, have been regularly submitted 

 by Mr. H. H. Clayton for certain periods of time, namely, for 3, 4, 

 5, and 27 days in advance and also general forecasts as to the ex- 

 pected departure from mean normal temperatures for the coming 

 months and weeks. These forec'asts show undoubted prevision of 

 the temperature even up to 5 days after the solar observations. 

 The 27-day detailed forecasts have hitherto shown no correlation 

 with New York City temperature, but the broader forecasts for 

 coming Aveeks and months have been fairly verified. The results 

 are promising enough to w'arrant further trial, and through Mr. 

 Roebling's generous support these experimental forecasts will be 

 continued until June 30, 1925. 



Three projects were undertaken at the Mount Wilson station, 

 which the director occupied from July to October, 1923: Fii-st, to 

 begin observations on the variations of atmospheric ozone ; second, to 

 test new improvements on the solar cooker; and, third, to measure 

 the spectra of the brighter stars, using the 100-inch telescope and 

 special appai'atus prepared for the work. In the first project ap- 

 paratus was made ready, but circumstances prevented the actual 

 beginning of the determinations of atmospheric ozone; in the sec- 

 ond, experiments with the solar cooker resulted in some advance- 

 ment and pointed the way to further progress; and in the third 

 highly interesting results on stellar spectrum distribution and on 

 star diameters were obtained. 



INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITER- 

 ATURE 



The condition of the International Catalogue of Scientific Litera- 

 ture remains practically the same as it was last year. It will be 



