72 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



poses of investigation, and returned in as good condition as they were 

 received, and as soon as my work upon them is comiileted. Second. 

 That no unique specimens constituting part of the reserve series of the 

 ]^ational 3Iuseum shall be mutilated. Third. That duijlicates when 

 necessary may be dissected ; understanding by 'duplicate,' a specimen 

 which is not necessary to illustrate variations of forms or range of geo- 

 graphical distribution. Fourth. That the specimens when returned 

 shall bo labeled with the names which I have employed in my publica- 

 tions upon them. Fifth. That credit shall be given to the Smithsonian 

 Institution in all publications based upon material furnished by it." 



[Signature of borrower.] 



Restoration of the Declaration of Independence. — Several years ago a 

 commission was appointed by Congress (under an act approved August 

 3, 187G), consisting of the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, and the Librarian of Congress, for the purpose 

 of taking into consideration measures for the restoration of the faded 

 aud now nearly illegible Declaration of Independence. Some conferences 

 were held on this subject and some experiments made in regard to it, but 

 without result. A meeting of the commission was held at the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior on the 5th of May last, and, after discusjsion, it 

 was decided that it was one of the subjects coming within the province 

 of the National Academy of Sciences, and the problem was referred to 

 Professor Rogers, president of the Academy, with the request to appoint 

 a commission of scientific experts to investigate the whole subject and 

 report to the Secretary of the Interior. No return has yet been made 

 by this commission, but it is understood that the matter is receiving 

 careful consideration. 



UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



GENERAL OBJECTS AND RESULTS. 



The relationship which your Secretary has borne for ten years to the 

 United States Fish Commission as its chief, and the time required for 

 the discharge of its responsibilities, makes it proper to furnish a brief 

 statement of the objects and results of the commission, as showing 

 thereby that its operations are quite in accordance with the purposes of 

 the Smithsonian Institution. 



The inception of the commission, on a very small scale, in 1871, and 

 the rapid extension of its operations year by year, have all been chron- 

 icled in the annual reports of the Institution ; and now that ten years 

 have elapsed, the reports of the commission will, I trust, show its 

 healthy growth and a sticcessful accomplishment of some, at least, of 

 the objects which have been kept strictly in view from the outset. 



As explained in i)revious reports, the commission was first established, 

 in 1871, for the i)uri)ose of investigating the alleged decrease of the 



