Apprnpix VII. 
REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LIT- 
HRATURE: REGIONAL BUREAU FOR THE UNITED STATHS. 
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report on the operations of the 
regional bureau for the United States of the International Catalogue of Scienr- 
tific Literature for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907: 
This work is carried on under the authority of Congress, im accordance with 
the following item in the sundry civil appropriation bill: 
INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE: For the cooperation of 
the United States in the work of the International Catalogue of Scientific Liter- 
ature, including the preparation of a classified index catalogue of American 
scientific publications for incorporation in the International Catalogue, the ex- 
pense of clerk hire, the purchase of necessary books and periodicals, and other 
necessary incidental expenses, five thousand dollars, the same to be expended 
under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 
The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature is a classified subject 
index of current scientific literature published in London in 17 annua! volumes, 
the result of the combined cooperative work of regional bureaus established in 
all of the civilized countries of the world. All of the principal governments 
of the world are lending their aid to this important international undertaking. 
Each country collects, indexes, and classifies the current scientific literature pub- 
lished within its borders and furnishes to the central bureau in London the 
material thus prepared for publication in the annual volumes. The cost of 
preparation is borne by the countries taking part in the enterprise. The cost 
of printing and publishing is paid by the subscribers to the Catalogue. The 
enterprise was begun in 1901, and for the first five years of its existence the 
work in the United States was done through the Smithsonian Institution at 
the expense of its fund. For the present fiscal year Congress appropriated the 
sum of $5,000 to continue the work thus begun, and it was carried on as hereto- 
fore. The persons in charge of the work up to that date had been employees 
of the parent Institution, and being entirely familiar with the work, and having 
shown intelligence and devotion in carrying it out, they were, upon request, 
included in the classified civil service by an Executive order dated July 14, 1906. 
One volume a year is devoted to each of the following-named subjects: Math- 
ematics, mechanics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, meteorology (including ter- 
restrial magnetism), mineralogy (including petrology and crystallography), 
geology, geography (mathematical and physical), paleontology, general biology, 
botany, zoology, human anatomy, physical anthropology, physiology (including 
experimental psycology, pharmacology, and experimental pathology), and 
bacteriology. 
The citations are secured by regularly going through all of the journals 
listed to be examined, by a daily search through the large number of publica- 
tions received by the Smithsonian Institution, and by the examination of all 
available lists. Nevertheless, so diverse are the places of publication in the 
United States that even this careful scrutiny was not considered sufficient, and 
there was compiled from the authors records in this office a list of papers, 
84 
