REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 9 



Addition to the fund from savings, etc., by act of Con- 

 gress, February 8, 18G7 $108, G20 37 



Addition to the fund by bequest of James Hamilton, of 

 Pennsylvania, 1874 1, 000 00 



Addition to the fund by bequest of Dr. Simeon Habel, of 



New York, 1880 500 00 



Addition to the fund by proceeds of sale of Virginia 



bonds, 1881 51, 500 00 



Total permanent Smithson fund in the Treasury of the 



United States, bearing interest at G per cent $703, 000 00 



The bequest of $1,000 from James Hamilton, of Carlisle, Pa. (1874), 

 and of $500 from Simeon Habel, of New York (1880), have been men- 

 tioned in previous reports. 



In this connection, it is desirable again to refer to the fact that per- 

 sons intending to leave bequests, or to make donations for the promo- 

 tion of science, can do nothing promising greater security for their 

 money, or a more faithful administration of the trust, than to follow 

 the examples here cited. 



The domain of science is large, its fields of research numerous, and 

 the methods and appliances for successful investigation exceedingly 

 varied. This Institution, with its present equipment, has inaugurated, 

 or prosecuted, or directly fostered original advances in almost every 

 deimrtment of physical and biological inquiry. Hence, with its exist- 

 ing facilities and approved experience, it is in a condition to apply most 

 completely and economically any material aid delegated to it, either to 

 purposes of general or special promotion of human knowledge, with 

 but little, if any, expenditure in the necessary apparatus of organiza- 

 tion and direction. 



Any one, therefore, meditating a moderate bequest (say of a few 

 thousand dollars), and feeling an interest in the advancement of any 

 l)articular branch of science, could probably obtain in no other way so 

 unabated a devotion of the means to the specific purpose, or so large 

 a return of benefit to future students, and therefore of imblic credit to 

 the grantor, as by selecting the Smithsonian Institution for his repre- 

 sentative and curator. 



BUILDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION. 



The Smithsonian Building.— During the year many important chauges 

 have been made within the Smithsonianbuilding, which, though involv- 

 ing a comparatively slight expense, have greatly improved the conven- 

 ience and adaptation of several apartments for the necessary work 

 transacted. Most of the earthen and brick floors of the basement have 

 been replaced by a pavement of concrete, as have also some of the por- 

 tions previously covered with boards, which furnished a harbor for 



