REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. ae 
That each regional bureau be requested to prepare a list of journals in each 
science which the catalogue will completely index in the annual issue following 
the year of publication, and that the central bureau be authorized to publish 
the lists thus prepared. 
The new List of Journals will consist of titles of publications devoted almost 
exclusively to scientific matters, and these journals will be given precedence 
in the work of the regional bureaus, though references to scientific papers 
published in other than regular scientific journals witl eventually find a place 
in the catalogue. Some such action was necessary on account of the impossi- 
bility of dealing promptly with the vast number of semiscientific journals now 
published throughout the world, and, as promptness of publication is one of 
the most desirable features in an index-catalogue, it was necessary to find 
some means whereby an index to the more important papers could be ee 
practically as soon as the papers themselves were published. 
To render it possible to promptly publish future volumes of the catalogue 
the following resolution was adopted: 
That the resolution of the year 1900 authorizing the central bureau to close 
these volumes at different stated dates, each volume to correspond to the 
literature of a period of 12 months, be confirmed. 
The effect of this resolution will be that the separate volumes of the catalogue 
will not necessarily cover the whole calendar year but will cover a period of 
12 months. A number of discussions then followed, pertaining to plans for 
improvements in the organization and general work of the regional bureaus. 
It was then resolved: 
That in view of the resolution adopted unanimously by the representatives 
of the various countries constituting the convention, desiring the Royal Society 
to continue its responsibility for the publication of the International Catalogue 
for a further period, the committee appointed be instructed: (1) To take ail 
possible steps to prevent reduplication by the publication of several annual 
and similar catalogues and indexes on the same subject, by making arrange- 
ments such as those now in force with the Zoological Society of London. 
(2) To obtain further assistance and cooperation in the preparation of the 
material of the catalogue from the principal scientific societies and academies 
and the organizations which collect materials for indexing scientific literature. 
The idea now seems to prevail that the organization of the International 
Catalogue of Scientific Literature will gradually be able to cooperate with the 
present editors and publishers of the various scientific indexes and yearbooks, 
so that the annual volumes of the International Catalogue will eventually 
entirely supersede and take the place of all similar publications. This will 
not only be of common benefit to the International Catalogue and to the 
societies and private individuals now doing such work, but will greatly assist 
scientific investigators and librarians in whose interest the EE Cata- 
logue is prepared. 
The question of publishing a decennial index was then discussed and it was 
decided that on account of the great expense necessarily involved the work 
could not for the present be undertaken. The matter was left for the action 
of the next international council, which will be held within the next two years. 
During the meeting of the convention the foreign delegates were the recipients 
of numerous and gracious hospitalities from the Royal Society, the Royal 
Society Club, and individually from the English members of the convention. 
Very respectfully, yours, 
LEONARD C. GUNNELL, 
‘ Assistant in Charge. 
Dr. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 
