SECRETARY’S REPORT 9 
Astrophysical Observatory.—The work of the Smithsonian Astro- 
physical Observatory continued along four principal lines—solar 
astrophysics, upper atmosphere, meteors, and the satellite tracking 
program. The last-named operation was, of course, fully activated 
following the Russian launching of the first artificial earth satellite 
on October 4, 1957. The division of radiation and organisms con- 
tinued its researches on photomechanisms in plants. 
National Collection of Fine Arts.—The Smithsonian Art Commis- 
sion accepted for the Gallery 1 bronze, 2 oil paintings, 1 watercolor 
on ivory, and the Gothic library and 18th-century French Renais- 
sance drawingroom from “Miramar,” Newport, R.I. The Gallery 
held 18 special exhibitions during the year, and the Smithsonian 
Traveling Exhibition Service circulated 96 exhibitions in 264 mu- 
seums and galleries. 
Freer Gallery of Art—Purchase for the Freer Gallery collections 
included Chinese bronzes, ivory, jade, painting, and pottery; Jap- 
anese painting, wood sculpture, and pottery; Egyptian glass; Persian 
metalwork, pottery, and manuscript; and Mesopotamian pottery. 
The Gallery continued its program of illustrated lectures in the audi- 
torium by distinguished scholars in eastern art, the 1957-58 series 
numbering 6. 
National Air Musewm.—Good progress was made toward locating 
a site for a new building for the museum. During the year 193 
specimens in 52 separate accessions were added to the aeronautical 
collections, including a “Falcon” GAR-1 guided missile, a Verville- 
Sperry “Messenger” airplane of 1920, the Herrick “Vertoplane” of 
1937, a bronze statue of Brig. Gen. William Mitchell, and a “Van- 
guard” rocket-powered satellite vehicle. 
National Zoological Park.—The Zoo accessioned 1,411 individual 
animals during the year. The net count at the close of the year was 
2,316. Noteworthy among the additions were a pair of trumpeter 
swans, three Tasmanian devils, a pair of great black-casqued horn- 
bills, and a linsang from Malaya. A snow leopard was born in 
captivity, an extremely rare event. Visitors totaled more than 4 
million. 
Canal Zone Biological Area.—Of the approximately 570 visitors 
to the island during the year, 43 were scientists, students, and ob- 
servers using the station for special researches, particularly in wild- 
life observation, plant and insect studies, and photography. 
International Exchange Service—As the official United States 
agency for the exchange of governmental, scientific, and literary 
publications between this country and other nations, the International 
Exchange Service handled during the year 1,094,798 packages of 
such publications, weighing 743,329 pounds. 
