4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 76 



tional Gallery of Art, including the Freer Gallery of Art ; the 

 National Zoological Park ; the Astrophysical Observatory ; the Inter- 

 national Exchange Service ; and the International Catalogue of 

 Scientific Literature. 



III. COOPERATION : DEFINITION OF THE TERM 



By cooperation, as here used, is understood the act of assisting in 

 any way the advancement of knowledge, let it be through the direct 

 solution of a problem, or indirectly through supplying aid, funds, or 

 material, or the giving of any form of personal services. 



For purposes of clear presentation the matter may be considered 

 in the following order : 



(i) By conference and advice through correspondence and other- 

 wise. 



(2) By furnishing materials (a) for investigation, as gift or loan, 

 (b) for teaching purposes. 



(3) By furnishing facilities. 



(4) By furnishing personal assistance, expert or otherwise. 



(5) By furnishing funds. 



(6) By furnishing means of publication. 



(i) Cooperation through Advice and Correspondence 



It is a safe affirmation that scarcely a day has passed since the 

 organization began actively to function but that letters are received 

 from, or personal interviews held with, those who wish aid or ad- 

 vice on matters relating to some one of the many subjects involved. 

 The full importance of this work cannot be estimated, but as years 

 go on it has become of ever increasing magnitude. The following 

 taken from the ninth and tenth annual reports of the Secretary of the 

 Institution (1854-55) show the early stand of the Institution in this 

 line of work : 



Correspondence. — During the past year the Institution has received a large 

 number of communications asking information on a variety of subjects, 

 particularly in regard to the solution of scientific questions, the names and 

 characters of objects of natural history, and the analysis of soils, minerals, 

 and other materials which pertain to the industrial resources of the country. 

 Answers have in all cases been given to these inquiries, either directly by 

 the officers of the Institution, or by reports from the Smithsonian colaborers. 

 Very frequently certificates are requested as to the value of certain minerals, 

 with a view to bring them into market ; but in these cases the inquirers are 

 referred to certain reliable analytical chemists, who make a business of opera- 

 tions of this kind. The information procured and given at the expense of the 

 Institution is such as relates to the general diffusion of knowledge, and not 



