REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 19 



PUBLICATIONS 



One of the Smithsonian Institution's primary functions, the diffu- 

 sion of knowledge, is carried out chiefly by means of its several series 

 of publications. These record the results of original researches by 

 members of the staff or by outside scientists working on the national 

 collections under direction of the Institution. The Smithsonian An- 

 nual Report contains each year a selection of original or reprinted 

 articles presenting new developments in nearly all branches of science ; 

 it continues in wide demand by librarians, teachers, and individuals 

 interested in the progress of science. The vital importance to a nation 

 of the vigorous promotion of science was dramatically demonstrated 

 during World War II, and such semipopular reviews of science prog- 

 ress as the Smithsonian Reports have played a definite part in building 

 the popular understanding and appreciation of science that is essential 

 to its healthy growth. 



The series of Smithsonian War Background Studies was brought 

 to a conclusion during the year with the appearance of No. 20 on China, 

 by A. G. Wenley and John A. Pope, and No. 21 on the Aleutian 

 Islands, by Henry B. Collins, Jr., Austin H. Clark, and Egbert H. 

 Walker. The widespread demand for the pamphlets continued, from 

 Army and Navy organizations and personnel and from civilians. The 

 largest reprint order so far received, totaling 180,000 books, was from 

 the Army for use in orientation of officers and men transferred from 

 Europe to the Pacific theater. The titles and authors of the entire 

 series, which covered nearly every country and island group in the 

 Pacific war area as well as other regions and special war topics, will 

 be found in the report on publications, appendix 10. 



Among outstanding publications of the year may be mentioned one 

 by former Secretary C. G. Abbot on "Weather Predetermined by Solar 

 Variation," in the Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections; "Summary 

 of the Collections of Amphibians Made in Mexico under the Walter 

 Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship," by Edward H. Taylor and 

 Hobart M. Smith, and "Review of the Spider Monkeys," by Reming- 

 ton Kellogg and E. A. Goldman, in the Proceedings of the National 

 Museum; and "Houses and House Use of the Sierra Tarascans," by 

 Ralph L. Beals, Pedro Carrasco, and Thomas McCorkle, the first pub- 

 lication of the Institute of Social Anthropology. 



A total of 56 publications were issued during the year, and 141,635 

 copies of publications in all series were distributed. 



LIBRARY 



Demands on the Smithsonian library by the Army and Navy de- 

 clined as the war drew to a close. On the other hand, receipts of 

 foreign publications began to increase toward the end of the year, 



