4 ANNUAL EEPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1915. 



National Museum : 



Furniture and fixtures ?25, 000 



Heating and lighting. 46,000 



Preservation of collections 300, 000 



Books 2,000 



Postage 500 



Building repairs 10, 000 



Bookstacks for Government bureau libraries 10, 000 



National Zoological Park 100,000 



International Catalogue of Scientific Literature 7, 500 



Tower telescope, Astrophysical Observatorj^ Mount Wilson, Cal 2,000 



Repairs, Smithsonian Building 16, 000 



Total 606,000 



In addition to the above specific amounts to be disbursed by the 

 Institution there was included under the general appropriation for 

 public printing and binding an allotment of $76,200, to cover the 

 cost of printing and binding the annual report and other Govern- 

 ment publications issued by the Institution, and to be disbursed by the 

 Public Printer. 



EXPLORATIONS AND RESEARCHES. 



The " increase of knowledge " is one of the fundamental objects of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, and toward the accomplishment of that 

 object it has inaugurated and maintained or has participated in 

 astronomical, anthropological, biological, and geological explora- 

 tions in every portion of the world, resulting in greatly increasing 

 our knowledge of the meteorolog}^, the geography, the fauna and 

 flora, and the ethnology of all lands, and in the acquisition of a large 

 amount of valuable material for the National Museum. The Insti- 

 tution has likewise, through special grants, aided laboratory re- 

 searches in practically every line of natural science. The extent of 

 these explorations and researches during the last 60 years covers a 

 wide range, although a great deal more of most important work 

 could have been accomplished had adequate funds been available. 

 Friends of the Institution have many times, and particularly during 

 the last few years, generously aided the work through the contribu- 

 tion of funds for specific purposes, but much yet remains undone, 

 and opportunities for undertaking important lines of investigation 

 are constantly being lost through lack of means to carry them into 

 execution. 



I will here allude only briefly to some of the activities of the Insti- 

 tution in these directions during the year and for details of other 

 investigations may refer to the appendices containing the reports 

 of those directly in charge of the several branches of the Institution. 



