BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 239 



investigations of the herring fisheries, I must candidly state that they 

 have not been large enough to cover my expenses, but that I have been 

 obliged every year to put my hand in my own pocket and make consid- 

 erable sacrifices. Why does not Professor Smitt, who is backed by the 

 Government and its powerful aid, count my expenses among the sums- 

 appropriated? Why does he hint, in utter disregard of actual facts, 

 that I had every year enjoyed " a very considerable subsidy" whilst he 

 takes good care not to mention the fact that since the summer of 1880 

 he has, annually, enjoyed a much larger Government subsidy for his 

 work in connection with the fisheries? Professor Smitt's disregard of 

 facts certainly does not tend to further his cause. 

 Stockholm, March 24, 1883. 



30.— THE INSTRUCTION OF NAVAL MIDSHIPMEN IN TAXIDERMY 

 ICHTHYOLOGY, ETC., AT TnE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUS- 

 EUM AND ON BOARD THE STEAMERS OF THE UNITED STATES 

 FISH COMMISSION. 



By Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD. 



In the American naval service the cadets start with four years' study 

 in the Naval Academy at Annapolis. They are then sent to sea for two 

 years, and do not obtain the rank of midshipman until they have passed 

 an examination at the end of this period, or of six years after their 

 entrance. They are then sent to sea again, or placed on waiting orders. 



About a year ago the Navy Department made inquiry of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution as to its willingness to receive six recently appointed 

 midshipmen, and assign them to some duty in the Institution or National 

 Museum that would enable them to take advantage of any opportunities 

 they might have for natural history research during their future cruises, 

 with the understanding that they were to be treated in every way as 

 regular employes of the Institution and required to do regular work. 



The proposition was responded to favorably, and the six persons 

 were assigned respectively to curators of ichthyology, marine inver- 

 tebrates, ethnology, paleontology, geology, and mineralogy. The ex- 

 periment somewhat unexpectedly proved to be a very great success. 

 The young gentlemen devoted themselves earnestly to their work and 

 became proficient in it. 



A course of special instruction was given in regard to the taxidermy 

 of mammals and birds, which all the midshipmen attended with great 

 diligence, becoming quite expert in the preparation of skeletons and 

 in mounting excellent skins of mammals and birds.. 



The two assigned to ichthyology and marine invertebrates were de- 

 tailed for service on board the Fish Commission steamer Fish Hawk, 

 where they had ample opportunity of becoming familiar with collecting 

 at sea, as also with the methods and appliances of deep-sea dredging, 



