STUDY OF THE ETHNOLOGY OF THE PACIFIC. 835 
In the books you may get perhaps half a dozen interesting 
facts and 300 pages of padding—very pleasant reading perhaps, 
but not satisfying. 
These records require to be brought together, and the facts 
contained in them extracted and arranged under various headings 
for reference. 
A very suitable method is to be found in the card catalogue 
system so much used in libraries. Each fact should be transcribed 
on a separate card, having a suitable catch-word, and the precise 
reference for the extract. 
These cards should be arranged under various heads or subjects, 
so that the whole of the information available on any subject 
could be brought together and subsequently collated and edited. 
Proper provision would be required for the custody of the 
original cards or slips at a central or main bureau. 
Typewritten or printed copies of any card, or series of cards, 
to be supplied, on payment of the cost of transcription, to all 
applicants. 
Published illustrations belonging to the literature of the subject 
should also be collected and a separate descriptive card or slip 
catalogue prepared. In many cases it would be an advantage to 
reproduce good figures on a uniform scale by photographs, and to 
supply them at a reasonable rate. 
Language of the record. Extracts for the cards should be in 
the language of the original ; but provision should be made for 
the translation of any works not available in either English or 
French. 
To render the analysis of the material then brought together 
of the highest value, copies of the slips or cards should be supplied, 
under the direction of a committee, to those specially qualified to 
Judge as to the accuracy of the information recorded. These 
persons should write their opinions or views of the matter in 
question on the card, in spaces provided for the purpose, sign it, 
and either forward it to the next person on the list or return it 
to the central bureau. The question of a library for the bureau, 
of all works on Polynesia, is of great importance ; but for the 
present I should suggest that loan of the books required for the 
card abstract might be obtained from the numerous special 
collections—as I am satisfied that the large sum of money that 
would be required to purchase anything like a complete library 
would be better expended in other directions. And this brings 
me to what I may call aggressive work. 
1. Circulars carefully drawn up asking for specific information 
should be issued as widely as possible, carefully followed up by 
correspondence, and the information contained in the circulars 
returned to the bureau passed into the general card record. 
