REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 77 



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 publioation, 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 will 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 prepared 

 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 all 

 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 International 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. Gtjnnell, 



Assistant in Charge. 



Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



