APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 67 



shown in two immense refrigerators — one contributed by Mr. Alegretti 

 and one by Mr. Banta, eacb having its peculiarities. Here were exhibited 

 day by day not fewer than two hundred varieties of American fishes. 

 Some of the fish were kept on exhibition in a frozen condition during 

 the entire period of the Centennial display. 



My own work 1 found very arduous, in consequence of the large 

 amount of correspondence, the number and comjilexity of accounts, and 

 the constant stream of visitors. To this was added service on two of the 

 groups of judges — one that of the fisheries and the other the supplemen- 

 tary group, instituted toward the close of the exhibition, to take cogni- 

 zance of exhibits which claimed consideration for award from having 

 been overlooked when the first series of judges prosecuted their labors. 



It may be readily imagined that, however arduous the duties of the 

 position assigned me at the Centennial, the associations were extremely 

 agreeable, in view of the large number of intelligent and scientific men 

 among the judges, both American and foreign, and the gentlemen con- 

 nected with the several commissions with whom I was brought in contact. 

 The relations to the United States Centennial Commission were also ex- 

 tremely pleasant, the director-general, the president, and the officials 

 generally doing all in their power to facilitate the labors of the Govern- 

 ment board. 



It is with much satisfaction that the members of the executive board 

 have been able to report to their respective chiefs the fact that the col- ^ 

 lective exhibition made by the Government, under their charge, was 

 considered the most satisfactory and instructive display of all those 

 shown at the International Exhibition, both as respects extent and 

 variety, and the thoroughly systematic and convenient arrangement and 

 labeling of the collections. A printed catalogue was contemplated and 

 the manuscript for the same prepared, but the Centennial appropri- 

 ation would not admit of the cost. An application was therefore made 

 to Congress for an order to print this catalogue, but failed to receive 

 consideration in the closing hours of the session. 



The exhibition closed on the 10th of ISTovember, in accordance with 

 the original plan, or in six months from its opening, and, as is known to 

 every one, it continued to increase in interest until the final day. The 

 unusual heat of the summer deterred many persons from visiting it at 

 that season; but with the cooler weather of the late summer and 

 autumn the throng was immense, and the general result, both as to the 

 number of visitors and the receipts, was unexampled in the history of 

 similar exhibitions. 



Some time before the close of the exhibition intimations had been 

 made by numerous exhibitors, both foreign and domestic, of a design to 

 make various donations of material to the United States j but the exact 

 magnitude of these accessions to the collections displayed was far from 

 being anticipated. As it proved, not only did many private individuals 

 contribute their collections to a greater or less extent, but objects from the 

 exhibits of various States were presented, notably from those of Michi- 



