142 APPENDIX TO THE EEPORT OF THE SECRETAEY. 



been renewed every year on a more bountiful scale, and the propagation 

 of fish is at present by far the most extensive branch of the work of the 

 Commission, both in respect to number of men employed and quantity 

 of money expended. 



Although activity in this direction may be regarded in the light of 

 applied rather than pure scientific work, it is particularly important to 

 the biologist, since it affords opportunities for investigating many new 

 problems in physiology and embryology. 



The origin of the Commission, its purposes, and methods of organiza- 

 tion having been described, it now remains to review the accomplished 

 results of its work. In manj' departments, especially that of direct 

 research, most efficient services have been rendered by volunteers; in 

 fact, a large share of what has been accomplished in biological and 

 physical exploration is the result of unpaid labor on the part of some of 

 the most skillful American specialists. Although it would be interest- 

 ing to review the peculiar features of the work of each investigator, the 

 limits of this paper will not allow even a mention of them all by name. 



Since the important fisheries center in New England, the coast of 

 this district has been the seat of the most active operations in marine 

 research. For ten years the Commissioner, with a party of specialists, 

 has devoted the summer season to work at the shore at various stations 

 along the coast, from Connecticut to Nova Scotia. 



A suitable place having been selected, a temporary laboratory is fitted 

 uj) with the necessary appliances for collection and study. In this are 

 placed from ten to twenty tables, each occupied by an investigator, 

 either an officer of the Commission or a volunteer. From 1S7S to 1879 

 important aid was rendered by the Secretary of the Navy, who detailed 

 for this service a steamer to be used in dredging and trawling, and this 

 year the steamer built ex^jressly for the Commission is employed in the 

 same manner.* 



The regular routine of operations at a summer station includes all the 

 various forms of activity known to naturalists — collecting along the 

 shore, seining upon the beaches,t setting traps for animals not otherwise 

 to be obtained, and scraping with dredge and trawl the bottom of the 

 sea at depths as great as can be reached by a steamer in a trip of three 



*Tlio number of dredging and trawling stations on record, is as follows: 



1871. Wood's Holl 345 



1872. Eastport, 200 by hand, 35 by steamer 235 



1873. Portland 149 



1874. Noank 223 



1875. Wood's Holl 169 



1877. Salem 



Halifax ^ 378 



1878. Gloucester 



1879. Provlncetown 



Total 1,500 



tThe number of seine hauls is about 600. 



