34 
p. 348); ‘On Certain Early Malformations of the Embryo” 
(zbid., p. 436); ‘‘ On some Conditions related to Double Mons- 
trosity”’ (ézd., vol. xviii., p. 25); ‘‘The Effects of Electricity 
and Magnetism on Development” (zzd., vol. xxix., p. 346) ; 
“On the Myology of Dolichotés Patagonica and Dasyprocta 
Tsthmica” (ibid., vol. xxxi., p. 343); ‘‘On some Points in 
Comparative Myological Nomenclature” (zézd., vol. xxxi., p. 
522); ‘On the Anatomy of MJacropus Rufus” (ibid., vol. 
‘xxxli., p- 119); ‘On a Specimen of Bifid Clitoris” (Proc. 
Anat. Soc. Gt. Brit., 1893, vol. xxii.) ; ‘‘ On the Cusps of the 
Aortic Pulmonary Orifices” (2zd., 1895, vol. iv.); ‘On the 
Double Malformations amongst Fishes” (Proc. Zoo/. Soc., 1895, 
p. 423); ‘‘On the Myology of the Terrestrial Carnivora.— 
Part I., Muscles of the Head, Neck and Fore-Limb”’ (zézd., 
1897, p- 370); ‘Qn the Physical Characters of the Boys at 
King Edward’s Schools, Birmingham, and at certain other 
Public Schools” (Proc. Birm. Phil. Soc., 1892, 216); ‘‘ On the 
Physical Characters of a Group of Birmingham Pupil Teachers ” 
(zbed., 1895, p. 97); ‘‘ Note on a Roman Pottery near Man- 
cetter” (Proc. Soc. Antzg., vol. xvi., p. 404); ‘* On the Pre- 
historic Implements of Warwickshire and Worcestershire” 
(Birm. Arch. Soc. Proc., 1897) ; ‘‘ Lifein Early Britain: being 
an Account of the Early Inhabitants of this Island and the 
Memorials which they have left behind them” (London: D. 
Nutt, 1897). 
WORK OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
LN 1897-8. 
aie: report of Prof. S. P. Langley, Secretary of the 
Smithsonian Institution, upon the operations of the 
Institution for the year ending June 30, 1898, reached usa 
NATURE 
[May 11, 1899 
which he has made in regard to aérodromic experiments, 
and it is perhaps not improper that he should state that 
these have attracted the attention of other departments 
so far that during the war with Spain a commission was 
directed by the Secretaries of War and the Navy to 
inquire into them with a view of their possible utility in 
war. 
In connection with the Hodgkins fund, several grants 
have been made for scientific investigations. Mr. A. 
Lawrence Rotch, of the Blue Hill Meteorological Obser- 
vatory, Readville, Mass., has received grants for experi- 
ments with automatic kites, for determining, by means 
of self-recording instruments, meteorological data in 
atmospheric strata inaccessible except by some 
mechanical method of exploring the atmosphere. 
A grant of 500 dollars has been made to Prof. William 
Hallock, of Columbia University, for an investigation 
having for its object the complete analysis of a particle 
of air under the influence of articulate sounds. 
A final grant of 250 dollars has been made to Drs. 
Lummer and Pringsheim, of the Physical Institute of the 
University of Berlin. The investigation begun by them, 
in 1893, to determine the ratio of the specific heats, at 
constant pressure and volume, for air, oxygen, carbon 
dioxide and hydrogen has now so far progressed that the 
memoir submitted by Drs. Lummer and Pringsheim, 
noting the results already attained by them, has been 
published by the Institution in the Smithsonian “ Contri- 
butions to Knowledge.” 
An additional grant has been made to Mr. E. C. C. 
Baly, of University College, London, to enable him to 
continue his research upon the de- 
composition of the atmosphere by 
electricity and upon the ozonising of 
mercury. 
A grant of 250 dollars has been 
made to Prof. Arthur G. Webster, of 
Clark University, Worcester, Mass., 
for the continuation of a research on 
the properties of air in connection 
with the propagation of sound, special 
effort being directed to the securing 
of data relating to the influence of 
the viscosity of air on expiring or 
vanishing sounds. An_ instrument 
devised by Prof. Webster for use in 
this investigation gives the physical 
measure of sound, not only when con- 
stant, but when rapidly varying. It 
is expected that this research will 
few weeks ago. It refers to the work of the U.S. National 
Museum, the Bureau of American Ethnology, the Inter- 
national Exchanges, the National Zoological Park, and 
the Astrophysical Observatory, all of which are under the 
direction of the Institution. 
The promotion of original research has always been 
one of the principal functions of the Institution. 
divisions of science have been extensively carried on 
through the departments of the National Museum, and 
in the Bureau of American Ethnology there have also 
been special inquiries into Indian customs and languages. 
These lines of research being well represented by its 
bureaus, it has remained for the Institution proper to 
devote its energies more especially to some of the 
physical sciences. 
Prof. Langley has carried on researches in the solar 
spectrum, which, by the active assistance of Mr. C. G. 
Abbot, have produced important results shortly to be 
published. He has not wholly discontinued the studies 
NO. 1541, VOL. 60] 
; i I Investi- | 
gations in the anthropological, biological and geological | 
furnish results of high practical value 
in connection with the question of the 
acoustics of auditoriums, and will 
contribute information upon points that have not here- 
tofore been satisfactorily investigated. 
The operations of the International Exchange Service 
continue to extend. In 1887 this branch of the Institution 
sent out 71 tons of documents, and had 2165 corre- 
spondents in the United States and 7396 foreign corre- 
spondents ; during the year covered by the present report 
it transmitted 151 tons, and had 6915 correspondents at 
home and 22,543 abroad distributed among 93 countries. 
Of the total number—29,458—of correspondents, 12,698 
are libraries and 16,760 are individuals. There is no part 
of the Smithsonian Institution which more efficiently 
carries out the large purpose of its founder, to diffuse 
knowledge among men, and it is through this, as much 
as through any other branch, that its name is known 
throughout the world. 
Appended to the report is a map of the world, a reduc- 
tion of which accompanies this summary, showing the 
distribution of the correspondents of the Exchange 
Service. 
