August 17, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



271 



it was decided at an International Conference 

 held in London in June, 1900, to publish, be- 

 ginning with the year 1901, an International 

 Catalogue of Scientific Literature, which is to 

 be issued only in the form of annual volumes 

 at first. The Catalogue is to include both an 

 author and a subject index. It will comprise 

 the following subjects : Mathematics, Mechan- 

 ics, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Meteor- 

 ology (including Terrestrial Magnetism), Miner- 

 alogy (including Petrology and Crystallogra- 

 phy), Geology, Geography (Blathematical and 

 Physical), Paleontologj', General Biology, Bot- 

 any, Zoology, Human Anatomy, Physical An- 

 thropology, Physiology (including Experimental 

 Psychology, Pharmacology and Experimental 

 Pathology), and Bacteriology ; in all 17 sub- 

 jects. At least one volume will be given to 

 each subject, and it is proposed that not all the 

 volumes shall be issued at once, but in four 

 groups, as soon as possible after the first of 

 January, April, July and October respectively. 

 The subscription price for a complete set of 

 the whole Catalogue in 17 volumes is £17, say 

 $85.00. 



The Smithsonian Institution has provisionally 

 undertaken to represent the interests of the Cat- 

 alogue in the United States, and will receive 

 promises of subscriptions. The publication of 

 the Catalogue cannot be undertaken unless sub- 

 scriptions for about 300 complete sets a year 

 (equivalent to about £5000) for five years be 

 guaranteed beforehand. Germany has guaran- 

 teed subscriptions to the extent of 45 complete 

 sets (or £750), and the Koyal Society of London 

 has guaranteed the same for Great Britain and 

 Ireland ; it is hoped that at least an equal num- 

 ber of subscriptions will be guaranteed in the 

 United States. It is most important that the 

 necessary guarantee for subscriptions should be 

 completed before September 30th, at the very 

 latest, hence it is desirable that promises of 

 subscriptions in the United States should be 

 sent in before September 15th. 



The prices of individual volumes will be 

 eventually fixed by the Central Bureau, and 

 will varj', but so that the aggregate of the in- 

 dividual volumes will amount to £17. In Eng- 

 land the Royal Society is making arrangements 

 by which, in the case of special institutions de- 



siring only parts of the whole Catalogue, the 

 subscription for a complete set may be divided 

 among them. It is learned that subscriptions 

 to about 90 sets are yet required, and of 

 these, besides the 45 sets guaranteed by the 

 Royal Society, a Fellow of that Society has 

 guaranteed 45 additional sets on condition that 

 the United States would subscribe for a like 

 amount. It thus appears that the success of 

 this undertaking now depends upou the sub- 

 scriptions received in this country. 

 Verj' respectfully yours, 



RiCHAED RATHBTJISr, 



Assistant Secretary. 

 Smithsonian Institution, August 6, 1900. 



THE BUFFALO EXPOSITION. 



To THE Editok of Science : I should be 

 glad if you would let me call the attention of 

 your readers to the Department of Ethnology 

 and Archaeology of the Pan American Exposi- 

 tion. 



The exposition has provided a circular build- 

 iug 128 feet in diameter, and has also ari-anged 

 for a ' Six Nation ' Indian exhibit on the 

 grounds, with a representation of the typic 

 ' Long House ' of the Iroquois and an attend- 

 ance of some 60 Indians, who will be engaged 

 in such industries as basket-making, wood- 

 work, etc. As these Indians are pagans, and 

 have preserved to a great degree their ancient 

 customs, they will celebrate in appropriate 

 seasons their various thanksgiving festivals, 

 dances and other rites. 



Every precaution will be taken to protect 

 exhibits against fire or theft and loss in packing 

 and unpacking. It is expected, therefore, that 

 a large amount of valuable archseologic ma- 

 terial will be placed at the disposal of this 

 department by museums and individual col- 

 lectors. In fact, it is not too early to assure 

 the public that the promises of such institutions 

 as the American Museum of Natural History, 

 The Peabody Museum, University of Pennsyl- 

 vania, University of Chicago and the Buffalo 

 Society of Natural Sciences as well as the 

 friendly co-operation of the Ministers of the 

 South American Republics, guarantee the suc- 

 cess of this department. At the same time, 

 there is always room for more, and as the aim 



