64 ANNUAL, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1910. 



On the receipt of a consignment from a domestic source it is assigned a 

 " record number," this number being placed on each package contained in the 

 consignment. A record is then made of the entire list of packages under the 

 sender's name, and the separate packages are entered under the name of the 

 person or office addressed. An account is thus established with every corre- 

 spondent of the Institution, which shows readily what packages each one has 

 sent or received through the Exchange Service. The books are then packed in 

 boxes with contributions from other senders for the same country, and are for- 

 warded by fast freight to the bureau or agency abroad which has undertaken to 

 distribute exchanges in that country. To Great Britain and Germany, where 

 paid agencies of the Institution are maintained, shipments are made weekly ; 

 to all other countries transmissions are made at intervals not exceeding one 

 month. 



Consignments from abroad for correspondents in the United States and its 

 possessions are distributed by mail under frank, a record having first been made 

 of the name of the sender and of the address of each package. 



The Institution assumes no responsibility in the transmission of packages, but 

 at all times uses its best endeavors to forward promptly to destination exchanges 

 intrusted to its care. 



The rules governing the Smithsonian International Exchange Service are as 

 follows : 



1. Consignments from correspondents in the United States containing packages 

 for transmission abroad should be addressed " Smithsonian Institution, Inter- 

 national Exchanges, Washington, D. C." 



2. In forwarding a consignment the sender should address a letter to the 

 Institution, stating by what route it is being shipped, and the number of boxes 

 or parcels of which it is composed. 



3. Packages should be legibly addressed, using, when practicable, the language 

 of the country to which they are to be forwarded. In order to avoid any possible 

 dispute as to ownership, names of individuals should be omitted from packages 

 intended for societies and other establishments. 



4. Packages should be securely wrapped in stout paper and, when necessary, 

 tied with strong twine. 



5. No package to a single address should exceed about one-half of one cubic 

 foot. 



6. Letters are not permitted in exchange packages. 



7. If donors desire acknowledgments, packages may contain receipt forms to 

 be signed and returned by the establishment or individual addressed; and, 

 should publications be desired in exchange, a request to that effect may be 

 printed on the receipt form or on the package. 



S. Exchanges must be delivered to the Smithsonian Institution or its agents 

 with all charges paid. 



9. The Institution and its agents will not knowingly receive for any address 

 purchased books; apparatus or instruments of any description, whether pur- 

 chased or presented ; nor specimens of any nature except when permission from 

 the Institution has been obtained, and then only under the following conditions : 



(a) Specimens in fluid will not be accepted for transmission. 



(&) Botanical specimens will be transmitted at the rate of S cents per pound. 



(c) All other specimens will be transmitted at the rate of 5 cents per pound. 



LIST OF BUREAUS OR AGENCIES THROUGH WHICH EXCHANGES ARE TRANSMITTED. 



Following is a list of bureaus or agencies through which the distribution of 

 exchanges is effected. Those in the larger and many in the smaller countries 



