APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 141 



fishes of the coast, to serve without additional salary. The choice Mas 

 thus practically limited to a single man for whom, in fact, the office had 

 been created. Professor Baird, at that time Assistant Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, was appointed and entered at once upon his 

 duties. 



The summer of 1880 marks the tenth season of active work since its 

 inception in 1871. The Fish Commission now fills a place ten-fold more 

 extensive and useful than at first. The present essay aims to show, in 

 a general way, what it has done, is doing, and expects to do — its pur- 

 poses, its methods, its results. 



The work is naturally divided into three sections: 



1. The systematic investigation of the waters of the United States 

 and the biological and physical problems which they present. The sci- 

 entific studies of the Commission are based upon a liberal and i)liilo- 

 sophical interpretation of the law. In making his original plans tlie 

 Commissioner insisted that to study only the food-fishes would be of 

 little importance, and that useful conclusions must needs rest ui>on a 

 broad foundation of investigations purely scientific in character. The 

 life history of species of economic value should be understood from be- 

 ginning to end, but no less requisite is it to know the histories of the 

 animals and plants upon which they feed or upon which their food is 

 nourished; the histories of their enemies and friends, and the friends 

 and foes of their enemies and friends, as well as the currents, tem[)era- 

 tures, and other physical phenomena of the waters in relation to migra- 

 tion, reproduction, and growth. A necessary accompaniment to this 

 division is the amassing of material for research to be stored in the E'a- 

 tioual and other museums for future use. 



2. The investigation of the methods of fisheries, past and present, 

 and the statistics of production and commerce of fishery products. Man 

 being one of the chief destroyers of fish, his influence ui^on their abun- 

 dance must be studied. Fishery methods and appaiatus must be exam- 

 ined and compared with those of other lands, that the use of those which 

 threaten the destruction of useful fishes may be discouraged, and that 

 those which are ineificient may be replaced by others more serviceable. 

 Statistics of industry and trade must be secured for the use of Congress 

 in making treaties or imposing tariffs, to show to producjers the best 

 markets, and to consumers where and with what their needs may be 

 supplied. 



3. The introduction and multiplication of useful food-fishes through- 

 out the country, especially in waters under the jurisdiction of the gen- 

 eral government, or those common to several States, none of which 

 might feel willing to make expenditures for the benefit of the others. 

 This work, which was not contemplated when the Commission was 

 established, was first undertaken at the instance of the American Fish 

 Cultural Association, whose representatives induced Congress to make 

 a special appropriation for the purpose. This appropriation has since 



