volumes, of which the first is nearly ready to be put in the hands of the printer. This volume contains

Part I. Hydrography and meteorological observations at sea.

a. Hydrographical remarks relating to Baffin's Bay, Smith's Sound, and Robeson Channel.

b. Temperature of the sea and its specific gravity at different depths. c. Ice of Smith's Sound and its motion.

d. Tidal observations made at Polaris Bay, comprising eight lunations.

Part II. Meteorology.

a. Temperature both at Polaris Bay and Polaris House, the second winter quarters.

b. Effect of the direct heating power of the sun

c. Effect of terrestrial radiation.

d. Hygrometrical observations.

e. Atmospheric pressure.

f. Winds.

g. Face of the sky.

h. Ozone.

i. Rain and snow.

Part III. Psychrometrical tables, giving the relative humidity, force of vapor, and dew-point for each tenth of a degree from 32° to -45°. Part IV. Astronomical observations.

Part V. Magnetism and aurora.

Part VI. Pendulum experiments.

The second volume will be devoted to natural history, comprising zoology, botany, geology, palæontology, mineralogy, &c.

The third volume will comprise the ethnology of the Esquimaux. The whole will be copiously illustrated by wood-cuts and charts, and published under the auspices of the Navy Department.*

Chemical Laboratory.-During the past two years the laboratory of the Institution has been in charge of Dr. Oscar Loew, the chemist and mineralogist of the Wheeler survey, and during this time he has made various analyses for the Institution of minerals, mineral waters, and other substances referred to the Institution for examination by the Government and other parties.

In behalf of the Wheeler expedition he has investigated and analyzed the waters of thirty-four mineral springs of New Mexico and Colorado, many soils of the arable lands of Arizona and New Mexico, rocks such as basalts, rhyolites, trachytes from New Mexico, coals of various local ities in Colorado and New Mexico, lake and river deposits, minerals, such as turquois, garnets, zeolites, plants used for medicinal purposes by Mexicans, &c., &c.

Photography. The photographic laboratory, under the direction of Mr. T. W. Smillie, has been in continued operation during the past year; a

*For the expense of the illustrations, Congress appropriated $15,000 in March, 1875.

series of photographs having been made of ethnological and natural history specimens for the use of the Institution, and a large amount of work done for others, especially for the Government surveys. The establishment of a photographic laboratory has been of great convenience to the Institution, and has been attended with but little expense. It affords at once the facility of photographing specimens and copying charts and other illustrations, while the support of the artist has been furnished by work performed for other parties.

Light-House duty.-I have been a member of the Light-House Board since its first organization, and during all this time have discharged the duties of chairman of the committee on experiments. On the resig nation of Admiral Shubrick I was elected chairman of the board. I was honored with this election not entirely on account of the services I had rendered in the way of scientific investigations, but principally because I belonged neither to the Army nor the Navy, of which it was desirable that neither should claim predominance. The duty, however, pertaining to this office has been much more arduous than I anticipated. Indeed, in order that I might attend to it without interfering too much with my devotion to the affairs of the Institution, it was necessary that the board should be recalled to a previous usage, namely, that of meeting every week and transacting the principal business through its committees, instead of meeting quarterly and intrusting the operations of the establishment almost entirely to the two secretaries and the chairman, under which plan the latter was obliged to be in continual attendance at the Light-House office.

I am gratified to be able to state that, although some dissensions have occurred on account of the want of definite assignment by the original law of Congress of the relative duties of the Army and Navy while on light-house service, yet that the whole system at present is in an efficient state of activity.

It may be proper to remark that, for the labor which I have bestowed upon the light-house service for upward of twenty years, I have received no other remuneration than that which results from the conscious feeling of having successfully labored in some degree to advance the efficiency of a service which involves the protection of life and property, and is one of the benevolent institutions tending to facilitate the rela tions of distant countries with our own.

CONCLUSION.

From the foregoing statement it will be evident that the Institution is successfully prosecuting the plan adopted for realizing the benevolent intention of its founder in the way of increasing and diffusing knowl edge among men; that its funds are again in a prosperous condition, and that its reputation and usefulness are still on the increase. Respectfully submitted.

WASHINGTON, January, 1875.

JOSEPH HENRY, Secretary Smithsonian Institution.

Table showing the number of entries in the record-books of the United States National Museum at the close of the years 1873 and 1874, respectively.

Approximate table of the distribution of duplicate specimens to the end of

ADDITIONS TO THE COLLECTIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION (UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM) IN

1874.

Abert, J. T. One box of geological specimens from Nashville, Tenn. Aiken, C. E. A collection of birds from Colorado; a mounted specimen of little striped skunk, (Mephitis bicolor,) and two bottles containing contents of the scent-bags of Mephitis americanus and Mephitis bicolor. Albuquerque, Señor Don Frederico. Skins of humming-birds, fungi, &c.; two living specimens of coati-mundi, (Nasua, sp.,) from Brazil. Alden, Mr. One barrel of skulls, from an Indian mound near New Smyrna, Fla.

Ambler R. C. One box of fossil plants from Virginia.

American Sardine Company, New York. Specimen boxes of American sardines.

Anderson, Thomas C. One package of minerals from Ellison Station, Ky. Anderson, William. Two boxes of stone implements and shells from Indian grave, from Perry Co., Ohio.

Andrews, Dr. Robert R. Nine microscopic slides.

Arny, General W. F. M. Seeds of stone-pine and cigarita-shucks from the Navajo Indians, New Mexico.

Ashton, L. H. One specimen of fossil fish from Green River Station, Wyo.

Atkins, C. G. See under Washington, U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries.

Avery, T. C. One skin of duck-hawk, (Falco anatum,) from Greensborough, Ala.

Bagster, C. B. Specimens of spiders, (prepared.)

Baird, Prof. Spencer F. One specimen of marmoset monkey, (Hapale jacchus,) in the flesh; a collection of earthen vases, (28 pieces,) from Peru; a collection of fur garments, miscellaneous ethnologica, and minerals, from Greenland; a collection of plants, from the collection of the late Major Rich. See, also, under Washington, U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries.

Baker, Capt. John. A collection of shells from Florida.

Banks, T. C., jr. One specimen of salamander, (Notophthalmus virides cens,) from Wallingford, Conn.

Barcena, Mariano. See under Mexico, Sociedad de la Historia Natural. Barfoot, Joseph L. See under Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Museum. Barnum, Phineas T. Specimens, in the flesh, of cassowary, (Casuarius indicus,) nylghau, (Portax tragocamelus,) dromedary, (Camelus dromedarius,) sun-bear, (Helarctos tibetanus,) and skeletons of emu and ostrich.

Battle, Thomas H. Specimens of abnormal hens' eggs from Raleigh, N. C.

Batty, J. H. Two boxes of bird-skins; mounted specimen of great horned owl, (Bubo virginianus ;) one box of bird-sterna.

Bean, Tarleton H. A collection of fresh-water fishes from Bainbridge, Pa.; a collection of stone implements from Wyoming, Luzerne, Bradford, and Lancaster Counties, Pa. See, also, under Washington, U. S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries.

Beardslee, Com'r L. A., U. S. N. Specimens of young of Dorosoma cepe

dianum from the Potomac River, of Salmo fontinalis and Etheostoma, sp., from Little Falls, N. Y.; tusk of walrus (Rosmarus obesus) from the North Pacific Ocean.

Beatts, James W. Specimens of agates and opals from Lake Superior, Texas, and Germany.

Beck, Hon. James B. Specimens of minerals from Kentucky.

Beckett, George. A collection of minerals from the vicinity of Williamstown, Vt.

Beckwith, Capt. N. W. A skeleton of "devil-fish," (Lophius americanus,) from the Bay of Fundy; one Chinese stink-pot.

Belknap, Com'r G. E., U. S. N. See under Washington, Navy Department, Bureau of Navigation.

Bendire, Capt. Charles, U. S. Cavalry. Two boxes of birds' eggs from Arizona; two bottles of Coleoptera from vicinity of Tucson, Ariz.; a specimen of Heloderma horridum in alcohol.

Bergen, Norway; Bergen Museum. Specimen of dolphin, (Delphinus leucopleurus,) from the coast of Norway.

Bessels, Dr. Emil. See under Washington, U. S. Navy Department, Polaris Expedition.

Billopp, John S. One specimen of black wood-pecker, (Hylotomus pileatus,) in the flesh.

Binney, W. G. Two specimens of Carinifex Newberryi.

Blackford, E. G. Fresh specimens of fishes: blue-backed trout, (Salmo oquassa ;) striped bass, (Roccus lineatus ;) tautog, (Tantoga onitis;) cod, (Morrhua americana ;) salmon, (Salmo salar;) white perch, (Morone americana;) saury pike, (Scomberesox scutellatus ;) Spanish mackerel, (Cybium maculatum ;) leather-jacket, (Oligoplites occidenta lis ;) drum, (Pogonias chromis ;) red snapper, (Lutjanus aya;) sturgeon, (Acipenser brevirostris,) &c., &c.

Boardman, George A. Caudal vertebræ of porcupine (Erethizon dorsatus) from Milltown, Me.

Boteler, Alexander R. One Indian stone implement from near Front Royal, Warren Co., Va.

Bowers, Mr. Specimens of muscovite from Ackworth, N. H.

Boyd, C. H. One specimen of alligator terrapin, (Gypochelys temminckii) from New Orleans, La.

Bradford, A. A living specimen of red fox (Vulpes fulvus) from Washington, D. C.

Breese, W. L. One skin of crested cormorant, (Graculus dilophus.)