Ateil 6, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



547 



be excluded from its publications, requiring 

 them to be first sent to some prominent maga- 

 zine devoted to the particular line. If others 

 would do the same it would greatly simplify 

 the work of naturalists. 



Junius Henderson. 

 Museum, Univeksity of Colorado, 

 BocLDEB, Colo. 



A SUGGESTION FOR AN INTERNATIONAL 

 BIBLIOGRAPHIC EXCHANGE. 



We, in the United States, have long looked 

 forward to the creation of a bibliographical 

 institute in this country which will exercise 

 supervision over all affairs coming within its 

 scope. Two things are wanting: first, the 

 requisite endowment, and, second, a wide and 

 responsive spirit of cooperation. It is with 

 the latter that this note will attempt briefly to 

 deal. The writer recently suggested in the 

 Lilrary Journal (30: 857-858) that a biblio- 

 graphic bulletin be issued by the Library of 

 Congress to disseminate bibliographic intel- 

 _ligence, prevent duplication and incite coop- 

 eration. This would be an important step 

 toward a solution of the problem, but there is 

 yet another plan that seems also to give 

 promise of immediate results. 



Let the various historical and scientific 

 societies adopt and distribute, in duplicate, a 

 uniform blank calling for reports (titles and 

 scope) of special bibliographies in preparation. 

 Nearly every investigator is compiling a refer- 

 ence-list more or less extensive. The societies, 

 upon receiving reports, should preserve the 

 originals and transmit the duplicates, if of a 

 scientific character, to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution of Washington, or, if not of scientific 

 import, to the Library of Congress. The two 

 last-named bodies could likewise distribute to 

 their own clientele, single copies of a similar 

 uniform blank. In fact, it might be well to 

 have one of those two inaugurate the work, 

 their formal blanks to be used as models by 

 the societies, etc. 



Example is better than precept. A plan 

 analogous to that above described was suc- 

 cessfully carried out by the librarian of the 

 New England Historic Genealogical Society, 

 18 Somerset Street, Boston, Mass., who se- 

 cured more than five hundred reports of 



genealogies in preparation. These are pre- 

 served in Tengwall files, in strict alphabetic 

 order by surnames, and data therefrom are 

 promptly supplied to inquirers. If one society 

 of restricted scope can accomplish so much, 

 what might reasonably be expected as re- 

 sponses to a like invitation extended by the 

 Library of Congress or the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, having all literature and the whole 

 learned world upon which to draw? This 

 knowledge of inedited collections is often 

 necessary and important. It is characteristic 

 of our national impatience that we are not 

 content with published material. Like the 

 Athenians of old, we seek constantly that 

 which is new. Nor is this altogether un- 

 reasonable : history and science are making 

 such rapid progress that if a student expects 

 adequately to review any subject, he must, 

 perforce, avail himself of the very latest re- 

 searches, bibliographical included. Hence, a 

 growing list of special bibliographies in prepa- 

 ration would be very useful and would aid 

 greatly in that general diffusion of knowledge 

 for which one of our oldest institutions so 

 nobly stands ! 



The suggestion made is one involving a 

 minimum of expense; in fact, the cost would 

 be merely nominal, with probable returns of 

 manifold value. Means would thus be af- 

 forded for opening intercommunication be- 

 tween those interested in any subject. In this 

 good work it must not be forgotten that the 

 London Notes and Queries has quietly but 

 unquestionably become the chief factor. 



The Carnegie Institution of Washington, 

 as well as many universities and colleges, 

 could collaborate with the proposed exchange, 

 to their mutual advantage. In this simple 

 plan, therefore, seems to lie the possible de- 

 velopment of universal cooperation or at least 

 a nearer approximation thereto than has yet 

 been manifested. A reviewer in the Library 

 Journal (30 : 428) commented on the extreme 

 diificulty of arousing cooperation in biblio- 

 graphic work, but is there not now within our 

 power a way to gain even that desideratum? 



Eugene F. McPike. 

 Chicago, III., 



December 12, 1905. 



