KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 13 



effectiveness of the apparatus. A discussion of these, in detail, is 

 deferred for a later report. Additional financial support has been 

 granted for the work by Clark University. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



A total of 164 volumes and pamphlets were issued during the 

 3^ear by the Institution and its branches. Of these publications, 

 there were distributed a total of 165,196 copies, including 251 

 volumes and separates of the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowl- 

 edge, 20,777 volumes and separates of the Smithsonian Miscel- 

 laneous Collections, 27,263 volumes and separates of the Smith- 

 sonian annual reports, 97,806 volumes and separates of the publica- 

 tions of the National Museum, 14^215 publications of the Bureau 

 of American Ethnology, 3,159 special publications, 706 volumes of 

 the Annals of the Astrophysical Observatory, 64 reports on the 

 Harriman Alaska expedition, and 812 reports of the American His- 

 torical Association. 



The Institution carries out one of its chief functions, the " dif- 

 fusion of knowledge," by means of its various series of publications. 

 They embrace the results of investigations and systematic studies 

 in nearly every branch of natural science, and are distributed, in 

 most cases free of charge, to important libraries, educational in- 

 stitutions, and scientific establishments throughout the world. In 

 order to assist in creating a greater popular interest in scientific 

 matters, the annual report of the Institution has always contained 

 a general appendix consisting of a large selection of authentic, 

 semipopular articles reviewing recent advances in every branch of 

 scientific activity. There is a widespread and growing demand 

 for this publication, showing an increased appreciation of the value 

 of science and scientific investigations. 



Besides the annual report, the Institution issues two series of 

 publications, the Contributions to Knowledge and the Miscellaneous 

 Collections. The publications of the National Museum and the 

 Bureau of American Ethnology are mentioned in the reports of 

 those branches appended hereto. 



Of the series of Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 9 papers 

 were issued during the year, among them one paper by your sec- 

 retary in the series on Cambrian Geology and Paleontology, and 

 the usual annual pamphlet describing and illustrating the various 

 scientific expeditions sent out or cooperated in by the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



Allotments for printing. — The congressional allotments for the 

 printing of the Smithsonian reports and the various publications 

 of the branches of the Institution were practically used up at the 

 16984—22 2 



