done. Plans for future work, proposed to the Director for approval, are there out of place, and should be made the subject of a separate communication.

Being intended for publication, the reports should avoid various things which might otherwise with propriety be included. They should especially avoid all complaint or criticism of officers or divisions of the Survey or of other departments of the government.

The "accompanying papers" for this volume should be in the Director's hands not later than June 15, in order that they may be edited, and that any illustrations they contain may be properly inspected, revised and redrawn if necessary.

Prof.O.C.Marsh,
Division of Vertebrates,
New Haven, Ct.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 10, 1992.

Prof.O.C.Marsh,

In charge Division of Vertebrates,
U.S.Geological Survey,
New Haven, Ct.

Dear Sir:

The accompanying official copy of a letter addressed to me by the Director relating to <u>unofficial</u> publications by members of the U.S.Geological Survey is submitted for your information. The reference to paleontological nomenclature is to be considered more with regard to papers by assistants. All papers by assistants should be transmitted through the chief of their division.

(Copy).

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 5, 1892.

Mr. C.D. Walcott,

Chief Paleontologist.

Sir:

The results of the investigation of the U.S. Geological Survey are the property of the people of the United States. They should be published in such a manner as will communicate them most advantageously to the people who will make use of them. In certain cases official publication is most advantageous; in other cases unofficial. These considerations have led the Director in numerous specific cases to authorize the unofficial publication of results of the work of the Survey.

While the Director usually deems it proper to accede to requests for such unofficial publication, cases sometimes arise in which it is deemed inadvisable by reason of the interlocking of the work of different divisions or of different individuals or by reason of the immaturity of results, or for other reason. It is therefore desirable that in each specific case permission be requested and obtained before publica-

2

tion, is made.

As the Survey is in general not committed by the unofficial publications of its members, it is usually not important that the Director know in advance more of the substance of such publications than is indicated by their titles, but there is an exception to this rule. The laws of nomenclature for stratigraphy and paleontology are such that no published names can be ignored in subsequent writings. The Survey should therefore scrutinize all novel features of technical nomenclature contained in the private publication of official results with the same care with which it scrutinizes the nomenclature of its official publications. In order that this may readily be done it is desired that members of the Survey whose proposed unofficial publications involve new features of nomenclature set forth such new features in the letters requesting permission to publish.

I shall be glad if you will secure a proper understanding of the subject on the part of those members of your Branch whose work produces scientific material for publication.

Yours with respect,

(Signed) J.W.Powell,

Official copy.

Director.

Charles D. Walcott
Chief Paleontologist.

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that he will take up the subject of the investigation by the Sen-
ate committee as soon as he can give attention to it. The wording
of the resolution gives an outline of the scope of the investiga-
tion, and a quantity of material can be prepared in advance.

We are having very hot weather here and I hope, within a few
days, to get out where-- I will not get the radiation from these
asphalt pavements, at least.