REPORT OF THE ACTING SECRETARY. 37 



connected with other establishments for shorter or longer periods 

 throughout the year. This large work, which has often been referred 

 to in past reports, will be practically a resume of all that is known 

 regarding the aborigines of the United States, based upon informa- 

 tion from every possible source, including the unpublished records of 

 the Bureau. 



The matter is arranged alphabetically for convenience of refer- 

 ence, and the two octavo volumes of which it will consist will be pro- 

 fusely illustrated. From the point of view of general interest it 

 will be the most important publication which the Bureau has issued. 

 The correcting of the proofs of the first volume was nearing comple- 

 tion at the close of the year. 



Considerable progress was also made on the Handbook of Indian 

 Languages, the main part of which will consist of sketches of sixteen 

 American languages, and reports and bulletins relating to a num- 

 ber of other subjects were completed or in course of preparation. 



With a view to assisting the Departments of the Government hav- 

 ing custody of the public domain in the preservation of American 

 antiquities, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved 

 June 8, 1906, the Bureau has been active in compiling a card cata- 

 logue of archeological sites, especially the ruined pueblos and cliff 

 dwellings, and has made good progress in the preparation of a series 

 of bulletins giving information concerning these antiquities. 



INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. 



The International Exchange Service, initiated by the Smithsonian 

 Institution in the early years of its existence, for the interchange 

 of scientific publications between learned societies and individuals 

 in the United States and those of foreign countries, and later desig- 

 nated by the United States Government as the agency for the 

 transmission of sets of official documents to selected depositories 

 throughout the world, has effectually discharged the commissions 

 intrusted to it. Of the maximum limit of 100 copies of all Gov- 

 ernment publications, authorized by law to be distributed under 

 the direction of the Library of Congress, from time to time, to 

 important governmental libraries in European and other countries, 

 80 complete or partial sets have now been assigned and are being 

 transmitted by the exchange service to their respective destinations. 

 Additional public documents, issued from month to month, are 

 forwarded promply to the various depositories. 



The Institution has continued its endeavor, through the proper 

 channels, to secure the fullest cooperation on the part of all civilized 

 governments in reciprocally receiving and distributing within their 



