REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 47 



West Indies ; and a still smaller number from the rest of the world. A 

 number of very important series of fishes was obtained by Mr. Goode at 

 the Berlin Fishery Exposition, but as they have not been unpacked and 

 arranged, reference to them will be deferred until the next report. 



Alaska, as the least known portion of North America, and the one pre- 

 senting the most numerous problems of interest, received special atten- 

 tion during- the year, and the amount of material gained has been i)ro- 

 portionally great. 



Mr. E. W. Nelson, observer of the signal ofiice at Saint Michaels, has 

 continued his most important transmissions covering all branches of 

 scientific inquiry; among these the most specially noteworthy is the 

 collection of ethnological materials, illustrating the manners and customs 

 of the living Esquimaux of the region, as well as much of prehistoric 

 antiquity. Mr. Nelson has already sent in about G,(K)0 pieces of anthro- 

 jiological matter. His collections of mammals, birds, &c., have been 

 of very great Importance. 



Under orders from Captain Patterson, of the Coast and Geodetic Sur- 

 vey, Mr. Dall, assistant of the Coast Surv^ey, made a second visit to the 

 Alaskan seas in the schooner Yulcon^ originally built under his direction 

 for the service. By permission of Captain Patterson, seconded bj^ the 

 invitation of Mr. Dall, Dr. T. H. Beau was detailed to accompany the 

 expedition for the purpose of investigating especially the fish and fish 

 eries of the northern waters. 



The vessel left San Francisco in April, 1880, and touching at various 

 points passed into the Arctic Ocean, where quite an extended cruise 

 was ijrosecuted in the interest of the survey. It returned to San Fran- 

 cisco in November, 1880, and the collections of specimens, in forty-five 

 packages, were received not long after in Washington. These embrace 

 very large numbers of ethnological and archaeological objects, speci- 

 mens of birds, fishes, invertebrates, and other articles of great interest, 

 to some of which further reference will be made. 



No collections were received this year from Mr. Lucien Turner, super- 

 intendent of the volunteer stations of the Signal Service of the Aleu- 

 tian Islands. Large gatherings, however, have been made by him 

 which will be due during the year 1881. 



Mr. James G. Swan, of Neah Bay, Puget Sound, has continued his 

 valuable contributions to the National Museum, which have now ex- 

 tended over a period of many years. Being especially interested in 

 ethnology, specimens belonging to that branch were particularly at- 

 tended to, while many fishes also have been forwarded. • 



Commander L. A. Beardslee, of the Jamestown, stationed at Sitka, 

 Alaska, has also made many contributions of birds and ethnological 

 objects. 



A most important and extended exploration of the Pacific coast was 

 that conducted by Prof. D. S. Jordan, assisted by Charles H. Gilbert. 

 Professor Jordan was detailed by Mr. Goode, in charge of the fishery 



