1899.] Bcnjal Sucieti/'s Catalogue of Scientific Literature. 99 



Society's Committee, whose work closed on March 30tli of Last j^ear, 

 may be taken as example of the way in which the subjects will be 

 sub-divided and catalogued. 



As an example, the schedule proposed for subject F, Chemistry, 

 is given at the end of this note and shows the elaborate system of 

 classification which will enable the worker in any special branch to 

 readily obtain the current literature bearing on his researches. 



Where the different subjects overlap one another arrangements 

 will be made as much as possible for similarity of numbering. Thus, 

 in the case of Pala3ontology a publication will be numbered according 

 to the system used in Greology for the stratigraphical horizon of the 

 fossils referred to, accoi^ding to the Zoological and Botanical systems 

 to indicate their position in the animal or vegetable kingdoui, and 

 according to the scheme for Geography to show the country in which 

 the specimens were found. A paper, for instance, on Cietaceous Fishes 

 from Asiatic Turkey would bear the symbol, K75, ]4et; K standino- for 

 Paljeontology ; 75, the number for Cretaceous in the Geological 

 schedule ; 14< that for fishes in the Zoological ; e for Asia and ei for 

 Asiatic Turkey and Arabia. 



The systems of classification indicated above for Chemistry and 

 for Pala^ont(ilogy are sufficient to show the immense value the catalogues 

 will be to special workers, who, under present circumstances, have no 

 cei'tain means of readily discovering the whole of the current literature 

 bearing on their particular lines of research. 



II. The Formation of Regional Bureaux. 



The Royal Society's Committee, by enquiiy of experts in the 

 various subjects, estimated that the number of communications to be 

 analysed and indexed would not fall far short of 40,000 in each year. 

 To deal with such a body of literature, according to the detailed scheme 

 indicated above, would, naturally, be beyond the powers of any one 

 unaided Society, and the formation of Regional Bureaux was con- 

 sequently undertaken. 



The term Begiotial Bureau is introduced to indicate an organisation, 

 wherever established, for the purpose of collecting and indexing the 

 scientific literature of a particular region. The region may be either a 

 country or part of a country, or several countries or parts of countries 

 which can for this particular purpose be conveniently grouped together. 

 It is proposed that such Regional Bureaux shall be entrusted with 

 the task of preparing the slips required to completely index the 

 scientific literature of the regions committed to their charge. The 

 slips so prepared in the different regions will be regulaily forwarded 



