234 



NA TURE 



[July 5, 1906 



for, in addition to the separate volumes ; these presumably 

 find their way into the university or public libraries. 



The popularity of the special botanical catalogue is 

 remarkable. 



We may obtain a rough idea of the scientific activity 

 of different countries by comparing the number of 

 slips received from them during a certain interval. The 

 numbers given in the report published by the International 

 Convention held in London last summer, and referring to 

 all slips received, are shown in the following table : — 



NO. I914, VOL. 74J 



The total number up to March, 1906, has increased to 

 700,000. 



The catalogue begins with the year 1901, but some 

 countries send in their slips rather earlier than others, so 

 that the time interval covered by the investigations to 

 which the table refers is not quite the same for all. 

 Nevertheless, the numbers shown in the table possess a 

 certain interest. I have given in the last two columns 

 the number of journals which different countries take 

 into account, and the ratio of the number of slips to the 

 number of publications. Here again it is difficult to 

 estimate accurately how much value is to be attached to 

 the figures, as there is no uniformity of selection as to 

 what should and what should not be included in the cata- 

 logue. Journals which may only very seldom contain 

 any paper which is to be included may unduly 

 diminish the numbers in the last column, which are also 

 affected by the interpretation given as to what is purely 

 technical, and therefore to be excluded. Nevertheless, the 

 comparison between the United Kingdom and France gives 

 the somewhat striking result that, while France is slightly 

 ahead in the number of separate entries it contributes to 

 the catalogue, it takes account of nearly double the 

 number of journals, and the ratio showing the number 

 of entries per journal is therefore very small. In 

 the case of Belgium and Canada, we find also a 

 large number of publications as compared with the slips 

 received. Regard must, however, be had to the fact that 

 in the subject catalogue the same paper may furnish 

 several entries. Especially is this the case in the biological 

 subjects, where several species may be described, for 

 each of which a separate slip must be written out. Hence 

 in any country active chiefly in the discovery of new 

 species the ratio given in the last column of the table 

 would be abnonnally large. This is probably the explan- 

 ation of the figures given for New Zealand. In the opinion 

 of the director of the Central Bureau, the standards adopted 

 by different countries are drawing nearer together as the 

 work proceeds, and before long we may therefore expect to 

 obtain valuable statistical inforination on the scientific 

 activity in different countries. But this is only an in- 

 cidental result of the undertaking. It may reasonably be 

 argued that the scientific investigator ought not, before he 

 begins a research, to trouble too much about what may 

 have been done by others in the same direction, but there 

 is no doubt that before publication he should have made 

 himself acquainted with the literature of his subject. A 

 well-arranged catalogue then becomes a necessity, though 

 its value as a means of helping students differs considerably 

 in different subjects. 



The governing body of the catalogue is an International 

 Council composed of one representative from each of the 

 countries taking part in the scheme. This council has 

 appointed an executive committee, of which Prof. .Arm- 

 strong is the chairman. 



The Central Bureau for the publication of the catalogue 

 is in London, under the direction of Dr. Henrv Forster 

 Morley, who has a staff of thirteen workers under him. 

 There arc, in addition, nineteen experts or referees re- 

 presenting the different sciences. The annual office expenses, 

 including salaries, aniount to about 2200/. ; while the ex- 

 penditure on printing, binding, and publication in the year 

 ending March i, IQ05, amounted to nearly 4Q00/. The two 

 items are just covered by the guarantees of the different 

 countries, which, as alreadv mentioned, take the form of 

 subscriptions for copies of the catalogue, so that it may be 

 said that the central office is self-supporting. After so 

 short a time of working, this success must be a source of 

 considerable satisfaction to Prof, .'\rmstrong and those who 

 have helped to initiate the work ; but the expenses incurred 

 in London only represent a fraction of the total cost of the 

 work. Most of the countries establish regional bureaux, 

 which prepare the slips and forward them to London. 

 This really constitutes the most serious part of the work. 

 In Germany, for instance, the Regional Bureau is under 

 the direction of Prof. LThlworm, one of the university 

 librarians, who is helped by six assistants, and devotes his 

 whole time to the work. 



I pass on to an undertaking of a very different kind, but 

 still one which must be included in the class which 

 primarily aiins at cataloguing. The accurate determination 



