EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 33 



The sundry civil act for 1903 provided for the transfer of the management of the 

 Contributions from the United States National Herbarium from the Dejiartment of 

 Agriculture to the National Museum. ITnder this provision two former volumes, 

 Numbers II and VII, were reprinted by the Museum, namely, Botany of Western 

 Texas, by Prof. J. M. Coulter, and Systematic and Geographic Botany and Aborigi- 

 nal Uses of Plants, by Messrs. Coulter, Rose, Cook, and Chesnut. Of the current 

 volume, Number VIII, parts 1, 2, and 3, were issued, their titles being as follows: 

 Studies of Mexican and Central American Plants, by Dr. J. N. Rose; Economic 

 Plants of Porto Rico, by Prof. O. F. Cook and Mr. G. N. Collins; and A Study of 

 Certain Mexican and Guatemalan Species of PoJypodium, by Mr. AVilliam R. Maxon. 



A number of INIuseum papers greatly in demand, the editions of which had become 

 exhausted, were reprinted. Among them were the first volume of Bulletin 47, by 

 Doctors Jordan and Evermann, entitled " Fishes of North and Middle America;" Doc- 

 tor Stejneger's paper on the Poisonous Snakes of North America; Doctor Dall's Pre- 

 liminary Catalogue of the Shell-bearing Marine Mollusks and Brachiopods of the 

 Southeastern Coast of the United States; Mr. Ridgway's monograph on the Humming 

 Birds, and several of the pamphlets of instructions to collectors from Bulletin No. 39. 



Twelve papers prepared by members of the staff, based iipon material in the 

 Museum, were by permission of the Secretary, printe<l in publications other than 

 those of the National Museum. 



Llhnn'!/. — The increase of the ^Museum library during the past year has been 

 mainly due to two very important gifts — the Hubbard and Schwarz, and the Dall 

 donations. The former collection, consisting of 300 books and 1,500 pamphlets, was 

 brought together by Mr. G. G. Hubbard and Mr. E. A. Schwarz (custodian of 

 Coleoptera in the Museum) while carrying on their studies more or less conjointly, 

 and forms an accessory to their large collection of insects presented to the Museum 

 several years ago. It is an entomological library, with special reference to the 

 American Coleoptera. The contrilnition by Mr. AVilliam H. Dall, honorary curator 

 of -AloUusks, comprises about 1,600 ])ound volumes and about 2,000 pamphlets on the 

 moUuska, a special library of great value, which has been accumulated during many 

 years of research. It is accompanied l)y a card catalogue covering the literature of 

 Conchology, both recent and fossil, up to alwut 1860. 



The aggregate of additions to the library for the year amoimted to 3,161 books, 

 3,260 pamphlets, and 303 parts of volumes. 



E.rpoffifioiis. — Much progress has been made during the year in connection with 

 the preparation of the exhibits for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. An especially 

 noteworthy feature will consist of the complete skeleton and a east of the exterior of 

 a sulphur-bottom whale which measured 78 feet long when caught. It was obtained 

 at one of the whaling stations on the Newfoimdland coast and was roughly jirepared 

 for shipment to this country by members of the Museum staff. 



There will be several striking groups in ethnology, arranged by Mr. William H. 

 Holmes, who is also preparing a model of one of the great Maya temples in southern 

 Mexico. A special effort is being made by Dr. F. W. True, the representative of the 

 Institution and the Museum, to produce a satisfactory display of American animals 

 mounted in accordance with the latest methods of taxidermy. The geological 

 exhi})it, which is to include one or more of the huge fossil Dinosaurs, is Ijeing 

 prepared under the direction of Dr. George P. Merrill. 



Respectfully submitted. 



RiCHAKD RvTHBrX, 



Assistajit Secretary in charge of the V. S. Xaliiiiial }fi(.'^eum. 



Mr. S. P. LANf4LEY, 



Secretary of the Smithsovum Institution. 

 August 1, 1903. 



SM 1903 3 



