The library of the Survey now contains more than 25,000 volumes, and is rapidly growing by means of exchanges.  It is found necessary to purchase but few books.  The librarian, Mr. C.C.  Darwin, has a corps of assistants engaged in bibliographic work.  It is proposed to prepare a catalogue of American and foreign publications upon American geology, which is to be a general authors’ catalogue.  In addition to this, it is proposed to publish bibliographies proper of special subjects constituting integral parts of the science of geology.

PUBLICATIONS.

The publications of the Survey are in three series:  Annual Reports, Bulletins, and Monographs.  The Annual Report constitutes a part of the Report of the Secretary of the Interior for each year, but is a distinct volume.  This contains a brief summary of the purposes, plans, and operations of the Survey, prepared by the Director, and short administrative reports from the chiefs of divisions, the whole followed by scientific papers.  These papers are selected as being those of most general interest, the object being to make the Annual Report a somewhat popular account of the doings of the Survey, that it may be widely read by the intelligent people of the country.  Of this 5,650 copies are published as a part of the Secretary’s report, and are distributed by the Secretary of the Interior, Senators, and Members of the House of Representatives; and an extra edition is annually ordered of 15,000 copies, distributed by the Survey and members of the Senate and House of Representatives.  Four annual reports have been published; the fifth is now in the hands of the printer.

The Bulletins of the Survey are short papers, and through them somewhat speedy publication is attained.  Each bulletin is devoted to some specific topic, in order that the material ultimately published in the bulletins can be classified in any manner desired by scientific men.  Nine bulletins have been published, and seven are in press.  The bulletins already published vary in size from 5 to 325 pages each; they are sold at the cost of press-work and paper, and vary in price from five to twenty cents each; 4,900 copies of each bulletin are published; 1,900 are distributed by Congress, 3,000 are held for sale and exchange by the Geological Survey.

The Monographs of the Survey are quarto volumes.  By this method of publication the more important and elaborate papers are given to the public.  Six monographs, with two atlases, have been issued; five monographs, with two atlases, are in press; 1,900 copies of each monograph are distributed by Congress; 3,000 are held for sale and exchange by the Survey at the cost of press-work, paper, and binding.  They vary in price from $1.05 to $11.

The chiefs of divisions supervise the publications that originate in their several corps.  The general editorial supervision is exercised by the Chief Clerk of the Survey, Mr. James C. Pilling.