4. BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL, 58 
In August, 1886, the director of the bureau was authorized by 
joint resolution of Congress to begin the publication of a series of 
bulletins, which were issued in octavo form and in paper covers, and 
in July, 1888, the continuation of the series was authorized by con- 
current resolution. Provision for publishing the bulletins was 
omitted from the public printing law of January 12, 1895, and the 
issue terminated in 1894. Up to that time 24 bulletins had been pub- 
lished. By concurrent resolution in April, 1900, Congress authorized 
the resumption of the Bulletin series in royal octavo form. Nos. 25, 
26, and 27 were issued under this provision, and in February, 1903, 
by joint resolution of Congress the octavo form was again resumed. 
Since then bulletins 28, 29, 30 (in two parts) ,1 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 
37, 38, 39, 40 (part 1), 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 
56, and 58 have appeared, while Nos. 40 (part 2), 46, 55, and 57 are 
in press. The maximum edition of the Bulletin series is 9,850 copies, 
of which the Senate receives 1,500, the House of Representatives 
3,000, and the Bureau of American Ethnology 3,500 copies. The 
remaining 1,850 copies are distributed by the Superintendent of 
Documents, Government Printing Office. Of these about 500 copies 
are sent to designated libraries; the rest are held by him for sale at 
a price slightly above cost. 
Besides the series mentioned there have been issued small editions 
of four Introductions and of nine Miscellaneous Publications, in- 
tended wholly or chiefly for the use of collaborators and correspond- 
ents. These were not specially authorized by Congress, but as a 
rule were paid for from the annual appropriations for continuing 
researches. 
With the exception of the few copies of the publications of the 
bureau disposed of by the Superintendent of Documents the editions 
are distributed free of charge. The quota allowed the bureau is 
distributed mainly to libraries and other institutions of learning 
and to collaborators and others engaged in anthropological research 
or in instruction. 
ANNUAL REPORTS 
First annual report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the secretary of 
the Smithsonian Institution 1879-80 by J. W. Powell director 
[Vignette] Washington Government Printing Office 1881 
1By concurrent resolution of Congress in August, 1912, a reprint of Bulletin 50 was 
ordered in an edition of 6,500 copies, of which 4,000 were for the use of the House of 
Representatives, 2,000 for the use of the Senate, and 500 for the use of the Bureau of 
American Ethnology. 
