1899.] Royal Society's Catalogue of Scientific Literature. 97 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On a neiv species of Bhimraj (Dissemurus) with some general 

 notes on tJie so-called family Dicruridae. — By F. Finn, B.A., F.Z.S., 

 Deputy Superintendent of the Indian Museum. 



2. Notes on some New and Rare species of Crustacea. — By Major A. 

 Alcock, I.M.S., Superintendent of the Indian Museum, with Exhibition of 

 Specimens. 



The papers will be published in the Journal, Part II. 



3. The Royal Society's scheme for an International Catalogue of 

 Scientific Literature. By tlie Honorary Secretary of the Committee of 

 Control, Regional Bureau for India and Ceylon. 



I. Origin and odtline op the Scheme. 



At an International Conference organized by the Royal Society, 

 and held in London during July 1896, it was considered " desirable to 

 compile and publish, by means of some international organisation, a 

 complete catalogue of scientific literature, arranged according both to 

 subject matter and to authors' names," in order that scientific investi- 

 gators, by means of the catalogue, may be able readily to find out 

 what has been published concerning any particular subject of enquiry. 



In the following November a Committee was appointed by the 

 Royal Society of London to study all the questions involved, and to 

 frame a scheme for the work. The report of this Committee was issued 

 on tlie 30th March, 1898, and during the following October a second 

 International Conference was held in London to discuss the proposals of 

 the Committee. This Conference, which included delegates from 

 Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Nether- 

 lands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, 

 Cape Colony, India, Natal, New Zealand and Queensland, confirmed 

 the general principle of the previous Committee, that a catalogue be 

 published in the form of separate cards for each paper as well as 

 periodically classified in book form. It was decided to provide 

 schedules for the internal classification of each of the following 

 seventeen sciences : — 



Mathematics. 



Astronomy. 



Meteorology. 



Physics. 



Crystallography. 



Chemistry. 



