78 EEPOET OF THE SECEETARY. 



The scheme of investigation divided the work into the following 

 departments : 



I. Natural history of marine products : Under this head was to be car- 

 ried on the study of the useful aquatic animals and plants of the coun- 

 try, as well as of seals, whales, turtles, fishes, lobsters, crabs, oysters, 

 clams, i&c, sponges and marine plants and inorganic products of the 

 sea, with reference to geographical distribution; size; abundance; mi- 

 grations and movements; food and rate of growth; mode of repro- 

 duction ; economic value and uses. 



II. The fish ing-groimds : Under this head are studied the geographical 

 distribution of all animals sought by fishermen and the location of the 

 fishing-grounds, while with reference to the latter are considered : loca- 

 tion; topography; depth of water; character of bottom; temperature of 

 water ; currents ; character of invertebrate life, «&c. 



III. The fishermen and fishing towns: Here are considered the coast 

 districts engaged in the fisheries with reference to their relation to the 

 fisheries, historically and statistically, and the social, vital, and other 

 statistics relating to the fishermen. 



IV. Apparatus and methods of captvre: Here are considered all the 

 forms of apparatus used by fishermen, boats, nets, traps, harpoons, »S:c., 

 and the methods employed in the various branches of the fishery. Here 

 each special hind of fishery, of which there are more than fifty in the 

 United States, is considered separately, with regard to its methods, its 

 history, and its statistics. 



V. Prodiicts of fisheries : JJnder this head are studied the statistics 

 of the yield of American fisheries, past and present. 



VI. Freparation, care of, and mannfacture of fishery products : Here 

 are considered the methods and thev arious devices for utilizing fish 

 after they are caught, with statistics of capital and men employed, &c.: 

 preservation of live fish; refrigeration; sun-drying; smoke-drying; i)ick- 

 ling; hermetically canning; fur dressing; whalebone preparation; isin- 

 glass manufacture; ambergris manufacture; fish-guano manufacture; 

 oil renderihg, &c. 



VII. Economy of the fisheries : Here are studied financial organization 

 and methods; insurance; labor and capital; markets and market prices; 

 lines of trafiic; exports, imports, and duties. 



VIII. Protection and culture : This includes all kinds of supervision 

 by the government, such as legislation; bounties and licenses; fishery 

 treaties ; public fish culture. • 



The various inquiries provided for in this scheme of investigation 

 have been made in three ways. 



First. By correspondence with persons in different parts of the country. 



Second. By a systematic overhauling and compilation of past records, 

 not the least among which are the local newspapers. 



