REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 27 



at Cambridge as such delegate and to present in engrossed form the 

 greetings and congratulations of the Institution. 



University of Oviedo. — The Institution received from the Univer- 

 sity of Oviedo, Spain, a copy of an address and a medal commemora- 

 tive of the third centenary of that university. 



Russian Entomological Society. — The Institution found it to be im- 

 practicable to send a delegate to the fiftieth anniversary of the found- 

 ing of the Entomological Society of Eussia at St. Petersburg March 

 11, 1910, but forwarded its formal congratulations and good wishes. 



Conference of librarians. — Mr. Paul Brockett, assistant librarian 

 of the Institution, was authorized to accept the invitation of the 

 secretary of the Institut International de Bibliographie to take part 

 in and become a member of the Congres International de Biblio- 

 graphie et de Documentation to be held at Brussels, Belgium, August 

 25 to 27, 1910, and he was also designated to represent the Institution 

 in the Congres International des Archivistes et des Bibliothecaires 

 at the same place on August 29 to 31, 1910. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



George Washington Memorial Building. — At the February meeting 

 of the Board of Regents I spoke of the movement of the George 

 Washington Memorial Association to erect in Washington a memorial 

 building, which would be used as a center for the scientific, literary, 

 patriotic, and educational associations of the country. It is believed 

 that such a building would afford a much-needed relief to the present 

 crowded condition of the Smithsonian building, resulting in part by 

 the accommodations offered to the National Academy of Sciences, the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American 

 Historical Association, and others. 



The proposed building would be erected by popular subscription. 



Preservation of American antiquities. — Under the requirements of 

 law (act of June 8, 1906), the Institution has continued its considera- 

 tion of applications for permits to make archeological excavations or 

 collections on the public domain of the United States, including 

 requests for researches in the Aleutian Islands, Arizona, New Mexico, 

 Utah, and California. 



Gifts. — Among the gifts to the Institution during the year special 

 mention may be made of the C. Hart Merriam collection of 5,800 

 specimens of skins of mammals and about 6,000 skulls, including 100 

 full skulls of mammals and 235 skulls of seals presented by Mrs. 

 Edward H. Harriman. 



Additional gifts by Mr. Freer and others are referred to in con- 

 nection with the National Gallery of Art.. 



