432 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. 



accessions are made almost without pecuniary cost. Hardly any have 

 been purchased. They came from scientific or curious explorers, whom 

 the Smithsonian Institution is everywhere exciting and furthering, and 

 from Government expeditions commissioned mainly for other important 

 objects ; and the facilities in the way of transportation controlled by 

 the Institution are such that even the cost of their delivery in Wash- 

 ington is trifling. 



It will be interesting to know to what extent the museums which" 

 the Smithsonian Institution has in charge are visited by the public. 

 The committee would suggest the use of a recording turnstile at the 

 entrance, by which the number of visitors might be indicated and pre- 

 served with very little trouble. 



Respectfully submitted. 



ASA GRAY. 

 HENRY COPPEE. 



Doctor Parker, in behalf of the Executive Committee, stated that the 

 heating-apparatus now employed was found insufficient in extremely cold 

 weather to warm the building, particularly the new ethnological hall, 

 and suggested the propriety of asking Congress to appropriate $2,500 

 to increase the means for heating the building. 



Mr. Bancroft remarked that this was not asking anything for the 

 benefit of the Smithsonian Institution, but for the comfort of the people 

 of the United States who come here to see the great collections of the 

 Government, and who should certainly be provided with the means of 

 doing this without the danger of taking cold. 



On motion of Mr. Bancroft it was — 



Resolved, That Congress be requested to make an appropriation of 

 $2,500 to increase the heating capacity of the apparatus used to warm 

 the rooms occupied by the Government collections. 



The reading of the report of the Secretary was then continued. 

 On motion of Mr. Cox, it was — 



Resolved^ That the report of the Secretary be accepted and transmitted 

 to Congress as usual. 



The board then adjourned sine die. 



