78 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1908. 



trian, Russian, and Prussian), Portugal, Queensland, Russia, South Africa, 

 South Australia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States of America, 

 Victoria, and Western Australia. 



Much interest has attached to the consolidation of the famous zoological 

 yearbook known as the " Zoological Record " with the zoology volume of the 

 International Catalogue of Scientific Literature. By an agreement with the 

 Zoological Society of London a plan was consummated whereby the Inter- 

 national Catalogue agreed to compile through its regional bureaus the index 

 to the world's zoological literature; the Zoological Society of London under- 

 taking on its part to revise and edit the material thus furnished, the staff of 

 specialists previously intrusted with the preparation of the Zoological Record 

 being retained as editors. The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature 

 assumed all responsibilities connected with the publication and sale of the 

 combined volumes. 



If the amalgamation of interests above referred to meets with continued suc- 

 cess it is to be earnestly hoped that the numerous other independent scientific 

 bibliographies and yearbooks may gradually become similarly associated with 

 the International Catalogue, for great waste of energies and money result in 

 the production of similar publications covering identical fields. 



Since the first volumes were published the bulk of the catalogue has been 

 increasing each year. The fifth annual issue aggregated 12,000 printed pages, 

 which is 2,000 pages larger than the fourth issue. At present the actual 

 expenses of the London central bureau for editing and printing alone so nearly 

 reach the total receipts derived from subscriptions that it has been found 

 necessary to limit the work strictly to its originallj^ defined scope and also to 

 be most careful in the use of cross references in preparing the subject catalogue. 



In order not to limit the usefulness of the index, condensation has to be most 

 carefully done, and more time is required in careful selection and specific 

 classification than would be the case if economy of printed space were not so 

 imperative. 



However, this extreme care in classification is beneficial to both the pub- 

 lishers and the users of the catalogue, for it necessitates in the classifier a 

 most thorough grasp of the subject of each paper in order that a specific place 

 in the subject catalogue may be assigned, rigidly excluding all unessential or 

 general cross references, thus, while printed space is economized, the users of 

 the work are saved all unnecessary labor in looking up general I'eferences 

 not directly treating the special subject in which they are concerned. 



In the sundry civil bill approved May 27, 190S, $5,000 was appropriated to 

 carry on the work for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909. 



Respectfully submitted. 



Cybus Adler, 

 Assistant Secretary, in charge of Library and Exchanges. 



Dr. Charles D. Walcott, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



