KEPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 77 



water showing the nutritive qualities of the leading food-fishes, and 

 tabulated statements of the nutritive values of fish as compared with 

 other foods. The exhibit also contained a full-sized whale-boat, thor- 

 oughly equipped with apparatus for the capture of whales, including 

 not only the old-style hand harpoons and lances, but also the modern 

 swivel-gun and the explosive cartridge used in connection with the 

 same. 



The fish-cultural exhibit, prepared under the direction of Col. Mar- 

 ' shall McDonald, of the U. S. Fish Commission, consisted of a series of 

 six tables containing hatching apparatus in which the embryos of the 

 whitefish, salmon, and other species were kept during their develop- 

 ment, and small aquaria in which the newly hatched fry were exhibited. 

 In addition there were six large aquaria containing a number of differ- 

 ent species of fish from the ponds of the U. S. Fish Commission at 

 Washington, including the gold-fish, golden ide, German carp, trout, 

 salmon, and other kinds. There was also a series containing numer- 

 ous forms of hatching apparatus used at different hatcheries belonging 

 to the U. S. Fish Commission, and models of various kinds of fish- 

 ladders or fish- ways. Arrangements were made with the management 

 of the Exposition for having a supply of water for conducting the 

 hatching operations, and at intervals of two or three weeks quan- 

 tities of eggs of different species were shipped to New Orleans and 

 placed in the hatching apparatus, where they were allowed to remain 

 until hatched. This exhibit was, perhajjs, the most popular in the en- 

 tire exhibition, and during the time when clear water could be obtained 

 and the young fish were hatching, a majority of the people attending 

 the exposition found their way to the space, some of them lingering 

 for hours. 



On February IS, Colonel McDonald arrived with U. S. Fish Commis- 

 sion car No. 3, containing a full equipment of hatching and transport- 

 ing apparatus. This car was placed on a side track at the Prytania 

 street entrance of the exhibition, adjoining the Smithsonian space, and 

 was open for inspection daily from 8 in the morning until 6 in the 

 evening. In it were shown not only the processes of hatching, but 

 also the methods emj)loyed in transferring the fry to waters very remote 

 from the hatchery. After the fish-cultural exhibit had been installed. 

 Colonel McDonald returned to Washington, and J. Frank Ellis was 

 placed in charge of the car, and James Carswell assumed control of 

 the fish-cultural dis{)lay in the Smithsonian space in the Government 

 building. The car remained until the middle of May, when it was re- 

 called, to be used in the distribution of shad from the Fish Commission 

 stations in Washington and Maryland. 



THE FISH COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS. 



The steamer Albatross, belonging to the U. S. Fish Commission, was 

 engaged during the wincer of 1884-85 in an investigation of the cur- 



