274 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIX. Xo. 47G 



were received, making the present total over 

 5,(>50,000, and about 33,000 objects were dis- 

 tributed to educational establishments. Among 

 the most interesting accessions were those illus- 

 trating the native arts and industries of Sumatra 

 and the Straits Settlements, collected by D. W. 

 L. Abbott; a series of models of United States 

 war vessels and of land and naval ordnance; and 

 some relics of General and Mrs. Grant, of; much 

 intrinsic and historic interest. 



After paying a tribute to the late Major John 

 W. Powell, the first director of the Bureau of 

 American Ethnology, the report describes the con- 

 tinuance of the work, under the direction of its 

 new chief, Professor W. H. Holmes. Systematic 

 field work has been successfully prosecuted in 

 many states and territories, and in Santo Domingo 

 and Porto Rico. The preparation of ,the diction- 

 ary of Indian tribes has been taken up with re- 

 newed vigor. 



The niimber of correspondents and beneficiaries 

 of the international exchange service is now over 

 44,000. 



In the National Zoological Park a new elephant 

 house has been built. In view of the increased 

 number of buildings in the park, each one of which 

 has now to be provided with its own heating ap- 

 paratus, it is recommended that a special building 

 in the park, lying within a reasonable radius, 

 be erected for a central heating plant. Much in- 

 terest has been shown in the park by our officers 

 abroad, of whom there may be specially mentioned 

 Dr. F. W. Goding, United States consul at New- 

 castle, New South Wales, who has sent more than 

 140 specimens from that region. 



The astrophysical observatory has been enriched, 

 by a large horizontal telescope, to be used for 

 studies of special portions of the solar radiation. 

 Results of uncommon interest have been reached 

 in the holographic work, and it has been shown 

 that the earth's atmosphere has been more opaque 

 than usual within the present calendar year, so as 

 to reduce the direct radiation of the sun at the 

 earth's surface by about ten per cent, throughout 

 the whole visible spectrum, and by more than 

 double this amount in the blue and violet portions 

 of the spectrum. This alteration of the trans- 

 parency of the air has not been confined to the 

 region of Washington. A new determination of 

 the temperature of the sun, based on the distribu- 

 tion of the solar radiation in the spectrum, has 

 yielded a result of 5,920 degrees of the centigrade 

 scale above absolute zero. A horizontal reflecting 

 telescope of 140-foot focus and 20-inch aperture, 

 and a eoelostat of improved construction, to fur- 



nish, at all times a 20-inch horizontal northerly 

 directed solar beam, has been provided. The most 

 interesting part of the results consists in showing 

 a notable variation of atmospheric transparency 

 which is likely to have affected climate and the 

 growth of vegetation over a considerable part of 

 the earth's surface, and in the studies relating to 

 the solar constant, so that there seems renewed 

 promise of progress toward the goal ' for telling 

 by such means those remoter changes of weather 

 wliich afi'ect harvests,' which is one of the aims 

 had in view in the foundation of the observatory. 

 The question of vandalism and exploitation for 

 commercial purposes of archeologioal sites having 

 been brought to the attention of the board, the 

 following resolution was adopted: Resolved, that 

 the passage by congress of an act for the preserva- 

 tion of archeological objects on the public domain 

 is in the national interest, and would aid in pro- 

 moting the science of archeology and ethnology; 

 and that the secretary be requested to present to 

 the congress the draft of a bill having this end 

 i n view. 



Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who was a com- 

 mittee of one on behalf of the regents charged 

 with the duty of bringing the remains of Smith- 

 son to the United States, submitted a report. Dr. 

 Bell reached Genoa on December 25, and on the 

 31st of that month the remains of Smithson were 

 exhumed in the presence of the American consul 

 and six other witnesses. He submitted a certifi- 

 cate of the United States consul, Mr. William 

 Henry Bishop, describing the exhumation. Mrs. 

 Bell then placed within the coffin a wreath of 

 leaves from the grave of Smithson and the United 

 States consul placed an American flag as a cover- 

 ing for the casket. Brief addresses were made 

 immediately before the removal of the remains 

 from the mortuary chapel by the United States 

 consul and Dr. Bell and Mr. Noel Lees on behalf 

 of the British burial ground fimd committee. 



The regents, after the report, voted that there 

 l)e placed upon the record an expression of their 

 profound appreciation of the services of Dr. Bell 

 in going to Genoa and returning with the remains 

 of James Smithson that they might find a resting 

 place in the grounds of the institution he so 

 nobly founded ' for the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge among men.' 



A committee was appointed to choose the spot 

 in the Smithsonian grounds where the remains of 

 Smithson may be interred and a monument erected 

 to his memory. The committee includes the chan- 

 cellor, the secretarj' and the executive committee. 



