1889.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 43 



EDITORIAL. 



The Scientific Publications of the Government. — A word upon 

 the increasing importance of these issues and especially hozu to obtain 

 them will be welcomed by every scientific worker. Numerous pam- 

 phlets, and at times very costly books, are being printed by order of 

 Congress. A given number (between 1,500 and 2,000) are always 

 printed, and of important volumes " extra copies " are ordered. These 

 are placed at the disposal of Senators, Representatives, and heads of Bu- 

 reaux, for gratuitous distribution. Frequently copies are also printed 

 to be sold merely at a -pro rata cost price of the mechanical work 

 involved. 



Senators and Representatives who feel sure of retaining their places 

 distribute their quotas largely to public libraries in their States and dis- 

 tricts. Those who feel the need of friends often place their books 

 " where they will do the most good." Those who have lost their 

 places and their friends are said at times to sell their books to dealers. 



Dealers have three sources for obtaining books: (1) They buy at 

 the Government Printing Office or Departments. (2) They buy out 

 retiring Congressmen. (3) They buy at library auctions and from 

 other private sources. • 



How to get the books. — First. You must know definitely what to 

 ask for. A general request to send you something on Meteorology or 

 on Yellow Fever will usually fail: (1) because your correspondent 

 sees that you have nothing definitely in mind ; (2) because he has not 

 time to hunt out a title for you. 



Second. Prefer a polite request to the Representative from your dis- 

 trict, especially if he is of your party. If that fails, and your name is 

 well known in the State, try one and then the other Senator from your 

 State. If you can enclose a letter of introduction from a citizen influ- 

 ential in politics do so. 



Third. If you yourself have published something — anything — enclose 

 a copy to the head ofa Department or Bureau, requesting in exchange 

 a publication of theirs, which you specify. This will work in most 

 cases, unless you ask for too much, and they will usually give you far 

 more than you give them. 



Fourth. When all else fails, money will do the deed. There are 

 dealers in Washington who make a business of getting and mailing this 

 class of litei'ature. 



The key to the situation is a list of all scientific prints as they appear. 

 We have a " Monthly Catalogue of all Government Publications," but 

 it costs $5.00 per annum. You can perhaps consult that in a large 

 public libi-ary. Some of the Bureaux print lists of their publications 

 for gratuitous distribution. This is especially true of the Smithsonian 

 Institution and Geological Survey, to whom application can be made. 

 But so far as biological topics are concerned, with perhaps some other 

 scientific titles, we will try to keep you posted, and will add the deal- 

 ers' prices. All orders sent to our care will be handed to a responsi- 

 ble dealer, and we will guarantee our subscribers right treatment. We 

 cannot take this trouble except for subscribers. 



Librarians should give this subject their earnest attention. Scores 

 of most valuable publications are lost to them simply because they are. 



