ture of 1901, the catalogue has been completed through 1914, and there is now on hand much material from that date up to the present time.

Until the beginning of the late war the catalogue was practically self-supporting, but owing to the international chaos caused by the war the finances of the enterprise are now in a very precarious condition. For this reason the Royal Society of London, the financial sponsor of the catalogue, called a conference which was held in London during September, 1920. At this conference delegates were sent from 13 of the principal countries of the world, exclusive of the enemy countries, who were not included in the Royal Society's invitation. The United States was represented by delegates from the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council, the Smithsonian Institution, and by a representative from the Rockefeller Foundation, who had just returned from the Continent, where he had been making an investigation of the Concilium Bibliographicum of Zurich.

The consensus of opinion resulting from this meeting appeared to be that it was essential for all organizations, such as the International Catalogue and existing and proposed abstract journals, whose common aim is to supply information required by scientific workers and libraries, to cooperate for their mutual benefit, and that when some definite plan of consolidation was agreed on financial aid would be forthcoming. Plans looking to this most desirable condition are now under way, but it appears that for the present, at least, the necessary funds will have to be supplied from the United States, for although we have felt the burden of war expenses in this country our finances are not in the deplorable condition now common to all of the European countries, which, in addition to the havoc caused by the war, are at a very great additional disadvantage owing to the unprecedented condition of monetary exchange. There is no question as to the need of abstract journals for the immediate use of scientific workers and also of a catalogue and index as a permanent record of scientific literature for the use of libraries, as well as for scientific workers, and as the present organization of the International Catalogue has still the official support of all of the principal countries of the world, and as this organization was founded after years of endeavor by representatives of practically all of the scientific societies of the world, it would now be a calamity to allow it to lapse merely on account of temporary financial difficulties. I can not therefore too strongly urge that this assistance be furnished by some of the several wealthy organizations in this country whose aims are to further the interests of science. A more detailed account of the findings of the

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conference and of the present condition of the catalogue will be found in the regular annual report of the United States Regional Bureau of the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature, appended hereto.

NECROLOGY.

EDWARD DOUGLASS WHITE.

Edward Douglass White, Chief Justice of the United States and chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution, died May 19, 1921. It is not necessary to here review the life of this distinguished American whose name has been for so many years before the public. At a special meeting of the Board of Regents held May 27, 1921, the following resolutions in memory of Chancellor White were adopted:

Whereas: The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution having received the announcement of the death on May 19, 1921, of the Hon. Edward Douglass White, Chief Justice of the United States, Regent of the Smithsonian Institution for ten years, eight years of which he presided as chancellor : Resolved, That the board here expresses profound sorrow at the passing away of their beloved colleague, who, as a statesman, jurist, and chancellor, brought always to his work that remarkable ability and high conception of duty that made him so strong an influence for good.

Resolved, That this minute be made a part of the records of the board, and that a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the family of the late chancellor as an expression of the sympathy of the Regents at the irreparable loss sustained in the death of this distinguished public servant and citizen.

NELSON R. WOOD.

Nelson R. Wood, for over 32 years a taxidermist in the National Museum, died on November 8, 1920. Mr. Wood was one of the best men in the country in his line of work, and his loss is keenly felt by the Museum.

WILLIAM PALMER

William Palmer, taxidermist in the National Museum, died on April 8, 1921, after 30 years' faithful work in that capacity. Mr. Rathbun, late assistant secretary of the Institution, said of him:

Mr. Palmer has been one of the best all-round taxidermists and preparators in the Museum service. He is not only efficient and a hard worker, but is especially valuable because of his diversified talents, which permit of his being utilized in practically all zoological subjects.

JOSEPH P. IDDINGS.

Dr. Joseph P. Iddings, associate in petrology, department of geology, United States National Museum, died September 15, 1920. Doctor Iddings was one of the leading petrologists of America,

indeed of the world. He was for many years connected with the United States Geological Survey, and for a time professor of petrology in the University of Chicago. He was the author of two privately printed volumes on Rock Minerals and Igneous Rocks and numerous papers in the Government reports. He was also a joint author of the Quantitative System of Rock Classification. The important collections made and studied by him are all in the custody of the National Museum.

Respectfully submitted.

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Secretary.

APPENDIX 1.

REPORT ON THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the operations of the United States National Museum for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921:

The fiscal year was an unusually busy one. The separation of the National Gallery of Art from the Museum, the completion of the building for the Freer collections, the opening of the Aircraft Building, the preparation of data for the schemes of reclassification of Government employees and reorganization of Government departments, the inauguration of the retirement system for civil employees, and the impending inauguration of a budget system for Government accounts, all added to the usual Museum activities of the year.

The National Gallery of Art, which had for a number of years been administered as the fine arts department of the Museum, became an independent bureau under the Smithsonian Institution on July 1, 1920, through provision for its separate maintenance in the sundry civil appropriation act for the year 1921. To the new bureau were transferred such of the Museum's collections as had been in the custody of the curator of the National Gallery of Art, consisting of paintings, sculptures, and a few miscellaneous pieces. . For the present the gallery continues to be housed in the Natural History Building of the Museum.

Dr. William H. Holmes severed his connection with the Museum as head curator of anthropology on July 1, 1920, to become director of the National Gallery of Art, and carries with him to his larger field the good will of the entire Museum staff. When in 1906 it became necessary to provide a somewhat definite organization for the department of fine arts of the Museum, the curatorship of the National Gallery of Art was tendered to Dr. Holmes and accepted by him in addition to his duties then as Chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Since that time Doctor Holmes has given freely of his time and strength for the National Gallery without financial return. It is gratifying that he is now enabled to devote all of his energies to his chosen field.

As a separate administrative unit of the Institution a rapid growth is predicted for the National Gallery, of which the Freer collection, housed in its own building, forms a distinct unit. It is hoped that

in a few years an additional building, suitable for the permanent home of the National Gallery, will be authorized by Congress.

Dr. Walter Hough, curator of ethnology, was made acting head curator of the department of anthropology upon Dr. Holmes's resignation.

On April 31, 1921, the final work in the construction of the building for the Freer collections was completed, and the structure was formally transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, being accepted on May 3, 1921, just four years and seven months after ground was broken for its erection. That results were not reached earlier, as was anticipated at the beginning, was largely due to unforeseen delays incident to the war, but the work was at all times conducted with that deliberation and attention to details necessary to stability and permanency of structure-and these, it is believed, have been obtained. Planned with special reference to accommodating a collection whose various units were known, and of affording unusual facilities for study and research, the building is an object of art in itself, and is bound to become a mecca for art lovers from all over the world. Under the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, driveways and walks were constructed leading to the Freer Gallery, and the land immediately surrounding it was seeded and has now been brought up to the standard of the balance of the Smithsonian Reservation. During the summer and autumn of 1920 the remaining portions of the Freer collections were brought to Washington from Detroit and stored in the building. The work of unpacking and installing the specimens was begun in the late autumn under the abłe direction of Miss Katharine N. Rhoades, who had been associated with Mr. Freer in their care for several years. It is anticipated that some time must elapse before the exhibits are all in readiness and the halls can be opened to visitors, as there is a great amount of critical study necessary before the objects can be accurately labeled and classified.

In December, 1920, Mr. John E. Lodge, curator of the department of Chinese and Japanese art in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, was appointed curator of the Freer Gallery and placed in charge. The Freer Gallery is being administered as an independent unit of the National Gallery of Art, but the heating, lighting, and guarding of the building continue to be carried on in connection with the National Museum system, since the Freer Gallery is dependent upon the Museum plant for heat, light, and power.

By the opening to the public of the Aircraft Building, on October 7, 1920, the Museum added about 14,000 square feet of floor space to its exhibition halls. This metal structure, erected by the War Department on the Smithsonian Reservation in 1917 for the use of the