96 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Museum for examination and report is similar in scope. These records 

 are published each year in the Annual Report. During the present 

 ye-'r a separate record has been kept of material received for exhibition 

 at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta. 



The correspondence with educational institutions regarding the dis- 

 tribution of collections forms the subject of a special catalogue. The 

 cards in this catalogue are arranged alphabetically by States and sub- 

 alphabetically by cities and towns. A short abstract is given of the 

 contents of each communication received from applicants for collec 

 tions, and also of each letter sent out from the Museum. All applica- 

 tions for specimens are also entered in chronological order upon a 

 separate register. 



The records relating to the distribution of Museum publications are 

 quite voluminous. The mailing lists are classified as follows: (1) the 

 list of domestic and foreign libraries which receive the Museum 

 Reports, Proceedings, and Bulletins (embracing about 2,300 names); 

 (2) tlie list of foreign correspondents receiving the Museum Report 

 (embracing about 2,000 names), and (3) the lists of individuals and insti- 

 tutions receiving publications upon one or more special sitbjects 

 (embracing in all about 3,000 names). Card catalogues corresponding 

 to these lists are preserved. Upon the catalogues corresponding to 

 the first two is recorded, in convenient form, information regarding 

 the relations of the Museum with the libraries and institutions listed. 

 The lists referred to under the third heading consist of the names of 

 the recipients of the Reports, Proceedings volumes, and Bulletins, and 

 of separate papers from the Proceedings and Re]>orts; also of the 

 names of specialists receiving papers upon one or more of a variety of 

 subjects. Each list has its corresponding card catalogue. A separate 

 record is kept showing to which lists each publication of the Museum 

 has been distributed. In the case of publications sent in compliance 

 with individual requests, the orders are copied in press-copy books 

 kept for that purpose. 



Typewritten lists of the papers published in the Proceedings, 

 arranged (1) by serial number, (2) alphabetically under the name of 

 the author, and (3) according to subject matter, have been prepared, 

 and are of great importance in responding to the requests of appli- 

 cants for papers on various subjects. A separate list has also been 

 prepared referring under (1) name of author, (2) subject, and (3) 

 locality to all zoological, ])a]eontological, botanical, geological, and 

 anthropological papers ])ublished by the Smithsonian Institution and 

 its various branches. This is found very useful in connection with 

 the Museum correspondence. 



All letters relating to Museum matters, with the exception of those 

 bearing upon the finances and personnel of the Museum, are filed in 

 this office, A series of special files, arranged separately, is also kept 

 (i) for letters received from the various departments and bureaus of 



