THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 187 



4. To all States and Territories ; provided they give in return, copies 

 of all documents published under their authority. 



5. To all incorporated Public Libraries in this country, not inclu- 

 ded in either of the foregoing classes, containing more than seven 

 thousand volumes ; and to smaller Libraries, where a whole State or 

 large district would be otherwise left unsupplied. 



The author of each memoir receives, as his only compensation, a 

 certain number of copies, to distribute among his friends, or to pre- 

 sent to individuals who may be occupied in the same line of research. 

 In this way single memoirs are distributed to individuals, and especially 

 to those who are most actively engaged in promoting discoveries. 

 Copies of the reports, and also in some cases of particular memoirs, are 

 sent to our meteorological observers. Besides these, we have placed 

 on the list the more prominent Academies and Lyceums, as recipients 

 of the minor publications. It is also intended, in order to benefit the 

 public more generally, to place on sale copies of memoirs and reports ; 

 though on account of the number required for the supply of Institutions, 

 we have not, as yet, been able to carry this plan into effect. 



No copyright has been taken for the Smithsonian publications ; they 

 are therefore free to be used by the compilers of books, and in this way 

 they are beginning to reach the general reader and to produce a bene- 

 ficial effect on the public mind. 



Meteorology. 



The system of meteorology under the direction ol the Smithsonian 

 Institution has, during the last year, made good progress. And though 

 the whole number of stations has not been much increased, yet the 

 character of the instruments adopted, and consequently the value of 

 the observations, has been improved both in precision and variety. 



This system is intended to embrace, as far as possible, the whole 

 extent of North America, and to consist of three classes of observers. 

 One class, without instruments, to record the changes in the aspect of 

 the sky, the direction of the wind, the beginning and ending of rain, 

 the appearance of the aurora, &c. Another, in addition to the forego- 

 ing, to give an account of the changes of temperature, as indicated by 

 the thermometer. A third class, furnished with full sets of instruments, 

 to record all changes deemed important in the study of meteorology. 



To carry on this system, the Institution has received or expects to 

 receive assistance from the following sources : 



1. From the small appropriation made by Congress, to be expended 

 under the direction of the Navy Department. 



2. From the appropriations made by different States of the Union. 



3. From the observations made under the direction of the Medical 

 Department of the United States army. 



4. From the officers of her Majesty's service in different parts of the 

 British possessions in North America. 



5. From observations made by institutions and individuals, in different 

 parts of the continent, who report immediately to the Smithsonian 

 Institution. 



A small appropriation has been made by Congress for two years pas 



