100 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



has not been possible to do this with the present staff, and a cata- 

 loguer with a knowledge of French history should be employed for 

 the special purpose of cataloguing this collection. Every effort is 

 being made now to make the books available, but without an adequate 

 catalogue they can not be used to the fullest extent. 



NATIONAL MUSEUM LIBRARY. 



The value of the library of the National Museum is largely due to 

 the systematic collecting of works relating to the subjects covered by 

 the collections in the Museum and at the same time supplementing as 

 far as possible series in other libraries of Washington. The books 

 are consulted by persons carrying on research work in almost every 

 branch of the Government service, including those who are doing 

 scientific work along similar lines. The publications for the library 

 come to the Museum by gift, by exchange of publications, and by 

 purchase. Many important gifts have been received from specialists, 

 and those received during the year are given in detail. The ex- 

 changes, as is the case with the Smithsonian library, have met with 

 many difficulties raised by war conditions in the matter of securing 

 foreign publications, which have been put partially overcome. The 

 situation in this respect has, on the whole, shown no appreciable 

 amelioration over the preceding year. Special effort, however, has 

 been directed toward maintaining the foreign exchanges at the maxi- 

 mum compatible with existing conditions. In connection with this 

 work 271 letters were written in securing a number of new titles and 

 in filling " wants " in many of the incomplete sets on hand. The 

 appropriation for the purchase of books is very small and has been 

 the same for a number of years, and it is only by judicious spending 

 that the urgent needs of the Museum can be secured. 



The library was fortunate enough to secure by purchase the fol- 

 lowing three rare books, the editions of which are not represented in 

 the United States: 



Boddaert, P. : Eleiichus animalium, I Itoterodami, 1784. 

 Forster, J. R. : Afrikanischen Vogel, Halle, 1798. 



Vroeg, A.: Catalogue . . . Vogelen, etc., s*(iravenhage, 1TG4, with 

 separately paged " adumhrathinenl:ie." 



Mearns collection. — One collaborator who had taken a special in- 

 terest in the library was Dr. Edgar A. Mearns, the announcement of 

 whose death Avas received with deep regret last fall. Dr. Mearns 

 contributed publications to the library each year as well as a collec- 

 tion of Korans, and after his demise his widow carried out his ex- 

 pressed wish in presenting the remainder of his scientific library to 

 the Museum. This collection is especially rich in works on mammals, 

 birds, and plants. 



