VI PREFACE. 



men.' The members and honorary members of this establishment are to hold 

 stated and special meetings for the sajDervision of the affairs of the Institution 

 and for the advice and instruction of a Board of Regents, to whom the finan- 

 cial and other affairs are entrusted. 



" The Board of Regents consists of three members ex-officio of the estab- 

 lishment, namely, the Vice-President of the United States, the Chief Justice 

 of the Supreme Court, and the Mayor of Washington, together with twelve 

 other members, three of whom are ai:)pointed by the Senate from its own 

 body, three by the House of Representatives from its members, and six citi- 

 zens appointed by a joint resolution of bofh houses. To this Board is given 

 the power of electing a Secretary and other officers, for conducting the active 

 operations of the Institution. 



" To carry into effect the purposes of the testator, the plan of organization 

 should evidently embrace two objects, one, the increase of knowledge by the 

 addition of new truths to the existing stock ; the other, the diffusion of knowl- 

 edge thus increased among men. No restriction is made in favor of any kind 

 of knowledge, and hence each branch is entitled to and should receive a share 

 of attention. 



" The act of Congress, establishing the Institution, directs, as part of the 

 plan of organization, the formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallerj'' 

 of Art, together with provisions for physical research and popular lectures, 

 while it leaves to the Regents the power of adopting such other parts of an 

 organization as they may deem best suited to promote the objects of the 

 bequest. 



"After much deliberation, the Regents resolved to divide the annual income, 

 thirty thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars, into two equal parts, one part 

 to be devoted to the inci-ease and diffusion of knowledge by means of original 

 research and publications, the other half of the income to be applied in 

 accordance with the requirements of the act of Congress to the gradual 

 formation of a Library, a Museum, and a Gallery of Art." 



(The Programme of Organization, adopted December 8, 1847, follows.) 



" In accordance with the rules adopted in the Programme of Organization, 

 each memoir in this volume has been favorably reported on by a Commission 

 appointed for its examination. It is however, impossible, in most cases, to 

 verify th(! statements of an author ; and, therefore, neither the Comrnission 

 nor the Institution can be responsible for more than the general character of 

 a memoir." 



The total number of papei"S published in the 23 volumes of " Contribu- 

 tions " is 119, with an aggregate of 12,456 pages, 1,567 wood cuts, 523 plates, 

 and 16 maps, each volume averaging 541 i pages. 



2. MlSCELL.-VNEOUS COLLECTIONS. 



In the year 18G2, another series was instituted, entitled "Smithsonian 

 Miscellaneous Collections" each volume of which has the following preface: 



" The pi'esent series, entitled " Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections," is 

 intended to embrace all the publications issued dii-ectly by the Smithsonian 



