KEPOET OF THE SECRETAEY 47 



assistant secretary of the Institution, and two catalogues of the Na- 

 tional Gallery of Art, the first edition in 1922 and the second in 1926, 

 by the director. 



During the year the director has devoted his energies largely to 

 the preparation of a comprehensive catalogue of the art works of 

 the Institution, giving especial attention to works of painting and 

 sculpture. This catalogue does not include the wide range of minor 

 art works usually included in museums of art; and since no definite 

 line has yet been drawn between assignments to the gallery and those 

 that properly pertain to the Museum, the limits of the catalogue 

 must remain indefinite. 



The form of the catalogue has received very especial attention. 

 The cards used measure 8 by 10^ inches, corresponding thus to the 

 standard manuscript sheets of the Institution, Each unit or card of 

 the catalogue comprises two somewhat rigid sheets, one devoted to a 

 record of the source of the work and to the biography of the artist 

 and the other to a picture of the work itself. Some 600 cards are 

 now completed. The portrait group comprises about one-third of 

 this number. These are separately assembled owing to the anticipa- 

 tion that the Institution may find it possible, in the near future, to 

 organize a national portrait gallery, and possibly at least to print 

 separately this portion of the catalogue of the art works of the 

 Institution. 



Portraits of several types are included in the catalogue approxi- 

 mately as follows: 



1. Oil paintings. 



2. Water colors. 



3. Pastel and related technique. 



4. Engravings. 



5. Sculpture. 



PROFESSOR HOLMES AXD THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



It may not seem out of place, since the director's official life is 

 nearing its close, to record here briefly his connection with the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. Just 60 years ago he entered the north door of 

 the Institution an entire stranger and proceeded to sketch a bril- 

 liantly colored bird installed in one of the Museum cases. He was 

 observed at this work, and as a result was soon engaged in drawing 

 natural history specimens for the resident professors. In 1872 he 

 was appointed artist to the survey of the Territories and took part 

 in the survey of the Yellowstone region. In 1874 he was appointed 

 assistant geologist on the survey then working in Colorado and has 

 found his services continuously called for in the fields of both science 

 and art. Advancing step by step and from yeai to year in both 

 branches^ he finds himself to-day a member of the National Academj 



