REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 85 
by authors, which list was submitted to them for verification, criticisms, and 
additions. At the same time each author was requested to supply his separates 
to the Institution especially for the purposes of the Catalogue. 
This method of keeping in direct communication with the authors of scientific 
papers is very desirable for many reasons, as it not only renders it possible to 
publish a complete Catalogue, but also aids materially in the proper and satis- 
factory classification of the work done, which from the point of view of the 
users of the Catalogue is of as great importance as it is to have the Catalogue 
complete. 
During the year there were 28,629 references to American scientific literature 
completed for the central bureau, as follows: 
Literature of— 
iC) pee eee ee 2 ee ee ee ean ana ene eee See 384 
AG (eee re ee ee eee ee ee ee a ee ae ee eee 511 
11) ee ee 862 
Te a a ee eee 5, 272 
OO yereeeiete Been Sah eke he ee oe ete See 9, 022 
ELS) Ge a ee ee ee ee ee eee ee 12, 578 
(CO G5] ere ee oe eed Seka nee ee ee ee ee eee 28, 629 
Thirteen volumes of the Catalogue were received and delivered to ube sub- 
seribers in this country, as follows: 
Fourth annual issue: Chemistry, meteorology, general biology, botany, zoology, 
human anatomy, physical anthropology, and physiology, completing the issue. 
Fifth annual issue: Mathematics, astronomy, geology, geography, and paleon- 
tology. 
The practice has gradually been gaining ground in some of the regional 
bureaus of including references to technical and industrial matters, which 
while of great general interest do not come strictly within the definition of the 
scope of the work, which was to refer only to original published contributions 
to the physical and natural sciences. This matter has had careful consideration 
here, and it was deemed not only necessary but wise to adhere strictly to the plan 
agreed upon, since it was felt that a rigid following of the plan was essential 
where so many different nations were concerned, and for the further reason 
that an index can readily become too cumbersome for easy reference. Ulti- 
mately it may be possible to embrace in this Catalogue all records of progres- 
sive human interest, but it would seem at present the wisest policy to limit the 
work strictly to the original purpose. 
The regional bureau in the United States was so organized in the beginning 
that it could at any time be expanded to embrace any subject found advisable 
to include in the work, but the bureau is at the present time worked to the 
limit of its capacity with the funds now at its disposal. 
Several of the regional bureaus, including those of Germany, France, and 
Poland, are printing in periodical form the matter indexed by them. It was for 
a time hoped that this could be done in this country, and for several months, 
beginning with January 1, 1907, all scientific matter was currently collectea, 
indexed, classified, and prepared as printer’s proof ready for publication by the 
Institution, either monthly or quarterly, as a much-needed current classified 
index to American scientific literature. This method of publication would 
promptly furnish references to all of the scientific literature of the country 
practically as soon as published and probably a year in advance of the perma- 
nent assembled volumes published by the central bureau. The two methods of 
