SJJ H£PORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



The publication of the paper mentioned in the rejiort for 1854, 

 relative to the Zapotec remains in Mitla, Mexico^ was delayed on ac- 

 count of the absence of Mr. Brantz Mayer, who undertook to prepare 

 an account of the drawings made by Mr. Sawkins, with general ob- 

 servations on Mexican history and archeology- It has, however, 

 been published since the date of the last report, and will form a part 

 of the ninth volume of the contributions. It was referred to Mr. 

 Haven, of the Antiquarian Society, Worcester^ Massachusetts, and to 

 Dr. E. H. Davis, of New York. This paper, as well as that of Mr. 

 Haven on the archeology of the United States, possesses much more 

 popular interest than many of the Contributions published by the In- 

 stitutions, and is therefore in greater demand. 



Beports on Progress ofKnoioledge. — One of the propositions embraced 

 in the plan of organization is the publication of reports on the pro- 

 gress of knowled^ge ; but the portion of the fund which could be ex- 

 pended in printing has been so much more advantageously employed 

 in giving to the world memoirs consisting of original contributions to 

 science, that but little has been done in regard to this part of the 

 original plan. It has not, however, been entirely neglected. Besides 

 the work of Messrs. Booth and Morfit on the progress of the Chemical 

 Arts, the last annual report of the Regents to Congress contains an 

 account of late researches relative to Electricity. Another part of the 

 same work will be given in an appendix to this report. 



The report on forest trees by Dr. Grray, of Cambridge, is still in 

 progress, but has been delayed principally on account of the more 

 pressing engagements of the author in preparing his description of 

 plants collected by different expeditions undertaken by the govern- 

 ment, and in part from the difficulty of obtaining the necessary 

 drawings for its illustration. Some of these can only be made at 

 particular seasons of the year, during fructification, and other periods 

 of the different phases of the parts of the trees. A sufficient number 

 of the drawings have been prepared to form a considerable portion of 

 the work ; but as these in many cases belong to different genera, they 

 cannot properly be published until the others are prepared, which are 

 necessary to complete definite series. Nevertheless, it is expected 

 that the first part of the work will be ready for the press during this 

 year. Instead, however, of presenting it in the form of a report, it 

 has been thought advisable to publish it as a part of the quarto series 

 of original Contributions to Knowledge. For, though the facts it 

 contains are not entirely new, the work will in no sense be a compi* 



