28 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Notwithstanding tliese serious drawbacks, the publications of tlie 

 Museum (Proceedings and Bulletin) are distributed to about 2,200 

 libraries at home and abroad, and more than twice this uumber receive 

 the annual report. Specialists are previously supplied with the papers 

 emanating from the Museum in the form of extras whi(;h pertain to 

 their special studies; and on the mailing lists of the Museum are 

 probably not less than 3,000 names of persons thus supplied. It is 

 believed, however, that in order to comply with all applications, editions 

 twice as large as at present would be necessary. 



The reprinting of some of the earlier volumes of the proceedings 

 and bulletins is also much to be desired. This would enable the 

 Museum to complete the sets of its publications in libraries which have 

 been only partially supplied. The first four volumes of the proceed- 

 ings and the first sixteen bulletins were reprinted by the Smithsonian 

 Institution iu the Miscellaneous Collections, and in this form only 

 libraries were supplied. But it eventually became necessary to cease 

 this method of enlargnig the editions, owing to the drain which it 

 made on the fund of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Many libraries, therefore, which were supplied with the volumes thus 

 reprinted have received none subsequently, and their desiderata are 

 being carefully noted with a view to supplying them from new editions, 

 if Congress will appropriate the money necessary to defray the cost of 

 reprinting. It is also to be hoped that Congress will see fit to restore 

 the former extent of the edition of the annual report. The Museum, 

 having no fund for the purchase of specimens, relies upon its reports iu 

 a large measure for securing accessions to the collections, and already, 

 on account of the decrease iu the edition, it has become necessary to 

 restrict the mailing list of individuals to those who have done the 

 Museum some actual service. This restrictive policy will undoubtedly 

 result in an increased demand for these volumes on members of the 

 Congressional bodies, for whose personal use a large proportion of the 

 edition is reserved. 



During the past year the Museum has received much valuable assist- 

 ance and many courtesies at the hands of the Executive Departments 

 and Bureaus of the Government, for which acknowledgments are hereby 

 tendered. Several officers of the United States Geological Survey, the 

 Department of Agriculture, and the Fish Commission have served, as 

 in previous years, in the capacity of honorary curators of the collections. 



BUREAU* OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY. 



The work of investigating the languages, habits, customs, and classi- 

 fication of the North American Indians was commenced in 1872 at the 

 request of Gen. F. A. Walker, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who 

 had called upon the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for advice 

 as to some scientific method of grouping the Indians on their reserva- 

 tions. 



