496 INTERISrATIOlSrAL SCIENCE. 



the ratio of the number of slips to the number of publications. Here, 

 again, it is difficult to estimate accurately how much value is to be 

 attached to the figures, as there is no uniformit}^ of selection as to 

 what should and what should not be included in the catalogue. 

 Journals which may only very seldom contain any paper which is to 

 be included ma}" unduly diminish the numbers in the last column, 

 which are also affected by the interpretation given as to what is 

 purely technical, and therefore to be excluded. Nevertheless, the 

 comparison between the United Kingdom and France gives the some- 

 what striking result that while France is slightly ahead in the num- 

 ber of separate entries it contributes to the catalogue it takes account 

 of nearly double the number of journals, and the ratio showing the 

 number of entries per journal is therefore very small. In the case of 

 Belgium and Canada we find also a large number of i^ublications as 

 compared with the slips received. 



Eegard must, however, be had to the fact that in the subject cata- 

 logue the same paper may furnish several entries. Especially is this 

 the case in biological subjects, where several species may be de- 

 scribed, for each of which a separate slip must be written out. 

 Hence in any country active chiefl}^ in the discovery of new species 

 the ratio given in the last column of the table would be abnormally 

 large. This is probably the explanation of the figures given for New 

 Zealand. In the opinion of the director of the central bureau, the 

 standards adopted by different countries are drawing nearer together 

 as the work proceeds, and -before long we may therefore expect to 

 obtain valuable statistical information on the scientific activity in 

 different countries; but this is only an incidental result of the 

 undertaking. It may reasonably be argued that the scientific investi- 

 gator ought not before he begins a research to trouble too much 

 about what may have been done by others in the same direction, but 

 there is no doubt that before publication he should have made him- 

 self acquainted with the literature of his subject. A well-arranged 

 catalogue then becomes a necessity, though its value as a means of 

 helping students differs considerably in different subjects. 



The governing body of the catalogue is an international council 

 composed of one representative from each of the countries taking 

 part in the scheme. This council has appointed an executive com- 

 mittee, of which Professor Armstrong is the chairman. 



The central buerau for the publication of the catalogue is in Lon- 

 don, under the direction of Dr. Henry Forster Morley, who has a 

 staff of 13 workers under him. There are in addition 19 experts or 

 referees representing the different sciences. The annual office ex- 

 penses, including salaries, amount to about £2,200 ; while the expendi- 

 ture on printing, binding, and publication in the year ending March 

 1, 1905, amounted to nearly £4,900. The two items are just covered 



