28 EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



The following' general rules for the distribution of the reports have 

 been adopted : 



1st. They are presented to all the meteorological observers who 

 send records of the weather to the Institution. 



2d. To the collaborators of the Institution. 



3d. To donors to the museum or library. 



4th. To colleges and educational establishments. 



5th. To public libraries and literary and scientific societies. 



Gth. To teachers, or individuals who are engaged in special studies, 

 and who make direct application for them.' 



It is proper to remark that, owing to the many changes which have 

 taken place since the commencement of the war in the list of corre- 

 spondents of the Institution, it has not been thought advisable to send 

 the report, as heretofore, to all whose names are on the record of 

 distribution, but in most cases to wait until direct application is made 

 by letter for a copy of the work. Whenever a report is sent to any 

 address, a separate announcement is made through the mail by enclos- 

 ing a blank receipt, to be signed and returned to the Institution. 



In view of the great cost of paper at the present time and the 

 space required for storage of a large edition of each volume of the 

 publications of the Institution, it has been thought advisable to ste- 

 reotype the text and strike off only as many copies as are required for 

 immediate distribution, printing a new supply from time to time to 

 satisfy the demands as they arise. By the adoption of this plan, 

 should the cost of paper return to its normal rate, the expense of the 

 stereotype plates would be saved. 



Meteorology. — The meteorological system has continued to be car- 

 ried on as in former years, though necessarily very much dimin- 

 ished in extent on account of the absence of records from the southern 

 States. The volume of meteorological reductions from 1854 to 1859, 

 an account of which was given in the last report, has been published 

 and distributed to the meteorological observers, to public libraries, 

 and foreign institutions. Many letters have been received expressing 

 the new interest in the system that has been awakened by the appear- 

 ance of this volume, and the records which before existed only in the 

 archives of the Institution are now in the hands of a large number 

 of the students of science, whose various tastes and abilities will 

 enable them to draw from them important general results. The 

 second volume is still in press at the Government office, the print- 



