28 Report of the President. 



Anthropological Seminary, where they are now available for 

 reference. 



The contiguity of several large educational and scientific in- 

 stitutions in and about New York has made imperative the 

 existence of a large, complete and well arranged library of 

 science; and it seems destined that the Museum, occupying, as 

 it does, a central position, employing a large staff of scientific 

 workers, and offering assembly and lecture halls, laboratories 

 and instruments to scientists and students of natural history, 

 should be the institution to bring together and arrange for 

 general consultation a library bearing upon the various 

 branches of natural science. With this in view, the work of 

 the past year may be considered as the laying of a foundation 

 upon which such a library may be built — a library that will not 

 duplicate the work that is being done by our neighbor on the 

 north, the National Geographical Society, or our neighbor on 

 the south, the New York Historical Society, but a library that 

 nevertheless will require the expenditure of considerable sums of 

 money for the purchase of special books of reference and for the 

 completion of imperfect series of volumes now in our possession. 



An entire set of bibliographical cards, published by the 

 Concilium Bibliographicum at Zurich, has been received, 

 and, what is of quite as much moment, these cards have been 

 so classified that one desiring specific information in regard to 

 any current zoological article, may find easy reference. The 

 employment of a binder has greatly reduced the expense of 

 keeping our books in repair and has solved the problem of the 

 care and classification of reprints. 



The reorganization of the general work of this department 

 has necessitated a revision of our exchange list. The print- 

 ing and distribution of the Bulletins and Memoirs are now 

 carried on according to the following schedule: 



i. The regular edition of the scientific publications consists 

 of six hundred copies. 



2. An author desiring copies in addition to those provided 

 for below may have the same at cost, provided a request is 

 made to the Editor at the time the manuscript is submitted. 



