EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 19 



The most important collectious, however, iu Florida are those of tho 

 fishes, made by Professor Jordan and Mr. Silas Stearns, of Pensacola, 

 the latter gentleman in continuation of very many previous transmis- 

 sions. Indeed, to no one are we more indebted than to Mr. Stearns for 

 a knowledge of the ichthyology of the Gulf of Mexico, his business con- 

 nection with the fish and fisheries, prosecuted from Peusacola as a basis, 

 enabling him to secure novelties as they preseni; themselves. Several 

 papers describing a number of new species have been published by the 

 Institution on the collections made by Mr. Stearns, and other species 

 remain to be described. 



Eastern portion of the United States. — In the eastern portion of the 

 United States the principal results have, as heretofore, been produced 

 by the United States Fish Commission, the continued investigations of 

 the steamer "Fish Hawk" along the continental plateau having brought 

 to light many new forms of fishes and invertebrates, besides securing 

 numerous rarities, as well as duplicate specimens for distribution. 



A special feature, iu addition, has been the work connected with the 

 acquisition of material for the display of the London Fishery Exposi- 

 tion, opening in May next. An appropriation was made by Congress 

 for the purpose of securing suitable illustrations of the apparatus, proc- 

 esses, products, and results of the American fisheries; but the present 

 limits will not permit me to go into details, aud a formal report will 

 hereafter be made on the subject. 



The collections made in previous years by the Gloucester fishermen, 

 have not been continued to any great extent, in view of the fact that 

 the greater part of the objects coming within the limits of their work 

 have been obtained, the work of the "Fish Hawk* superseding largely 

 the less productive yield of the trawl and hand line. 



West Indies. — From the West Indies a few objects of much interest 

 have been obtained, although no extended series. Mr. Guesde has con- 

 tinued his contributions of illustrations of a very valuable collection 

 of Carrib antiquities. Dr. Nicholls, of Dominica, Mr. Wells, of Grenada^ 

 and Mr. F. A. Ober, have all made contributions of more or less interest. 



Mexico. — The receipts from Mexico are for the most part represented 

 by several collections from Prof. A. Dug^s, of Guanajuato. This ac- 

 complished naturalist has been 'in the habit, for many years, of sending' 

 to the Institution specimens of animals and plants for indentification. 



It is with deep regret that I am obliged to mention, in another part 

 of this report, the death of Mr. F. Sumichrast, of Tuohitan ; who has 

 been, by far, our most important coadjutor in that country. 



Central America^ — The researches prosecuted iu Central America, 

 under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, have been of unusual 

 importance in the results obtained, both of specimens and of informa- 

 tion; and of these quite a number are to be mentioned. 



