34 EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



and since carried out by the concurrence of most of the European 

 nations. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Closely connected with the department of exchanges is that of the 

 distribution by the Smithsonian Institution of books and specimens on 

 its own account and that of the National Museum. As has already been 

 shown, the entire system of International Exchanges of the Institution 

 began in the desire to find a convenient method of distributing its own 

 publications to libraries and- societies and a provision for the receipt of 

 returns. On getting the machinery of distribution fairly at work it was 

 found sufficiently comprehensive to serve other establishments in the 

 United States, and little by little it grew to its present magnitude. 



Distribution of Books. — The distribution by the Institution on its own 

 part consists mainly of copies of the Annual Eeports of the Eegents of 

 the Institution to Congress, and the various publications included in the 

 Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge and the Miscellaneous Collec- 

 tions, both in their separate form and as aggregated in volumes. More 

 recently the Proceedings and Bulletins of the National Museum have 

 been added to the number of volumes to be sent out. The distribution 

 through the United States, however, by a law of Congress is now made 

 under a frank of the Smithsonian Institution, which also covers the Do- 

 minion of Canada. That to foreign countries is made either by mail or 

 by the various agencies of transportation. 



As in previous j^ears, the oceanic shipments are made almost entirely 

 without expense, as explained more fully in another part of the report. 



The Pennsylvania Eailroad and its dependencies and the Baltimore 

 and Ohio Eoad have continued to make imj)ortant reductions in their 

 rates of charges to Baltimore, Phihidelphia, and New York. 



Distribution of Specimens. — The distribution of specimens, either in 

 the way of exchanges for other articles or as donations to the museums 

 of colleges, academies, &c., has continued during the year on a very 

 large scale. The details of this will be found under the head of the op- 

 erations of the Museum. 



LIBRARY. 



As in most other branches of Smithsonian operations, the accessions 

 to the library show a continued increase, the numbers of books and 

 other publications received during the year as compared with those of 

 the three preceding years being indicated in the accomijanying table. 

 This does not include the special contributions to the working library 

 of the National Museum, which have not been fully catalogued, but 

 will be reported upon hereafter. 



As is well known to the Board, the books received bj* the Smithsonian 

 Institution, either by way of exchange or donation, are transferred to 

 the Library of Congress, in which they constitute a very conspicuous 

 feature, representing as they do an extensive series of transactions and 

 memoirs of societies and scientific and technical publications. 



