REPORT 



OF THE 



SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



Charles D. Walcott 

 FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1918. 



To the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Gentlemen : I have the honor to submit herewith the customary 

 annual report by the secretary on the present condition and the 

 operations and activities of the Institution and its branches during 

 the year ending June 30, 1918. The first portion of the report is 

 devoted to the Institution proper and the summaries of the work 

 of the National Museum and other branches, while the appendixes 

 give detailed accounts by those in direct charge of the activities of 

 the Museum, the Bureau of Ethnology, the International Exchanges, 

 the Zoological Park, the Astrophysical Observatory, the Library, 

 and the Catalogue of Scientific Literature. 



THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



THE ESTABLISHMENT. 



The Institution was created an establishment by act of Congress 

 approved August 10, 1846. Its statutory members are the President 

 of the United States, the Vice President, the Chief Justice, and the 

 heads of the executive departments. 



THE BOARD OF REGENTS. 



The Board of Regents, which is charged with the administration 

 of the Institution, consists of the Vice President and the Chief Justice 

 of the United States as ex officio members, three Members of the 

 Senate, three Members of the House of Representatives, and six citi- 

 zens, " two of whom shall be residents of the city of Washington 

 and the other four shall be inhabitants of some State, but no two of 

 them from the same State." 



There were changes in the personnel of the board during the year, 

 as follows: Senator Charles S. Thomas to succeed Senator William 



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