40 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1919. 



he was detailed as assistant. He was also during that time assistant 

 in zoology at Yale University. 



In 1880, owing to the near completion of the brick structure of the 

 United States National Museum, now the Arts and Industries Build- 

 ing, he was transferred from New Haven to Washington, and brought 

 with him a part of the collections which had been stored at the 

 former place. He was also made curator of the department of 

 marine invertebrates in the National Museum, an office which he 

 held until 1914. For some time after 1880, therefore, he was both an 

 assistant on the Fish Commission and a curator in the Museum. 



Professor Baird, acquainted with his early business training, as- 

 signed Mr. Rathbun to many administrative duties, which increased 

 in amount and responsibility until the former's death in 1887. 



Although Professor Verrill, of Yale University, was the nominal 

 head of the summer investigations of the Fish Commission up to 

 1887, during much of the time Mr. Eathbun was expected to take the 

 active charge of the laboratories, steamers, and equipment, and to be 

 responsible for the arrangements in general. The collections were 

 mostly assorted under his supervision for distribution to specialists. 

 His own studies related to the commercial fisheries and to the work- 

 ing up of the natural history of several groups of invertebrates. To 

 the latter he continued to give attention until his administrative 

 duties compelled him to turn the material over to some half dozen 

 experts, whose reports are being published from time to time by the 

 National Museum. 



Before his death Professor Baird arranged that Mr. Rathbun's 

 duties should be transferred wholly to the Museimi. Dr. G. Brown 

 Goode, then Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, tem- 

 porarily succeeded Professor Baird as Fish Commissioner, and at 

 his request Mr. Eathbun remained with the Commission, in conse- 

 quence of his experience in the work. Col. Marshall McDonald was 

 soon made permanent Commissioner, and Mr. Eathbun continued with 

 him until his death in 1895, as chief executive officer and in charge 

 of the scientific work. He was acting commissioner during three or 

 four months of each year, and entirely revised the methods and 

 purposes of the scientific inquiries, directing them in practical chan- 

 nels to meet the laws of Congress. 



The Fish Commission having changed in character in 1896, 

 Mr. Eathbun was glad to accept the invitation of Secretary Langley 

 to enter the administrative service of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 two vacancies having occurred through the death of Doctor Goode 

 and Mr. Winlock. He was first put in charge of the office and ex- 

 changes, but after a year and a half was given direction of the 

 Museum, with which he had been connected since 1880. 



