4 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1957 



Smithsonian-Firestone Expedition to Liberia. He was particularly 

 successful in obtaining rare species never before exhibited, and 

 through his many associations with zoologists, animal collectors, deal- 

 ers, circuses, and other zoos the world over he maintained the 

 National Zoological Park at a high level. 



Dr. Mann continues his association with the Smithsonian in the 

 capacity of Honorary Research Associate. Dr. Theodore H. Reed, 

 of Portland, Oreg., chief veterinarian of the Zoo since July 1955, 

 was named Acting Director of the National Zoological Park on 



November 1, 1956. 



THE ESTABLISHMENT 



The Smithsonian Institution was created by act of Congress in 

 1846, in accordance with the terms of the will of James Smithson, of 

 England, who in 1826 bequeathed his property to the United States 

 of America "to found at Washington, under the name of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men." In receiving the property and accepting 

 the trust, Congress determined that the Federal Government was 

 without authority to administer the trust directly, and, therefore, 

 constituted an "establishment," whose statutory members are "the 

 President, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, and the heads of the 

 executive departments." 



THE BOARD OF REGENTS 



On December 14, 1956, the Institution suffered a deep loss in the 

 death of one of its newest Regents, Dr. Everette Lee DeGolyer. This 

 vacancy in the class of citizen Regents has been filled by the election 

 of Dr. John Nicholas Brown, of Providence, R. I. The member- 

 ship of the Board is now up to full complement, that is, 14 members : 

 6 congressional members, 6 citizen members, the Vice President, and 

 the Chief Justice of the United States. 



The roll of Regents at the close of the fiscal year was as f ollows : 

 Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, Chancellor; Vice 

 President Richard M. Nixon; members from the Senate: Clinton P. 

 Anderson, Leverett Saltonstall, H. Alexander Smith ; members from 

 the House of Representatives: Overton Brooks, Clarence Cannon, 

 John M. Vorys; citizen members: John Nicholas Brown, Arthur H. 

 Compton, Robert V. Fleming, Crawford H. Greenewalt, Caryl P. 

 Haskins, and Jerome C. Hunsaker. 



On the evening of January 17, 1957, preceding the annual meeting, 

 an informal dinner meeting of the Board was held in the main hall 

 of the Smithsonian Building amid various exhibits showing phases 

 of the work being carried on at present. Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt, 

 head curator of zoology of the U. S. National Museum, gave an ac- 



