BBPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 17 



upwards in length, and weighing many tons. When the islands were 

 discovered by the Eussians in November, 1741, the species was very 

 abundant; but in a few years it was entirely exterminated, and it is 

 believed to be considerably more than one hundred years since the 

 last survivor perished. Quite naturally, the possession of some remains 

 of this animal is a great desideratum among museums ; and until 

 recently the only relics were in the museum of the Academy of Sciences 

 in St. Petersburg. In completing his famous voyage over the Euro- 

 pean seas, around by the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific, Professor Nor- 

 denskjold, obtained at Bering Island, of the Commander group, a num- 

 ber of bones of the Ehytiua, of the acquisition of which he was justly 

 l)roud. Desirous of obtaining specimens of the animal for the Na- 

 tional Museum, the Smithsonian Institution very gladly availed itself 

 of the offer of the Alaska Commercial Company, the lessee from the 

 Russian Government of the Commander Islands, to transport Dr. 

 Stejneger in the vessel which carries the usual annual supplies to the 

 station, and hopes soon to report success in its efforts. 



Oregon and Washington Territory. — During the year several very ac- 

 ceptable transmissions of objects of ethnologj'^ and natural history, 

 especially of fish ijroducts, have been made by Mr. James G. Swan, of 

 Port Townsend. This gentleman's name has appeared for many years 

 in the Smithsonian report, as a valued contributor, not only of materials 

 but also of interesting memoirs which have been published in the Smith- 

 sonian Contributions to Knowledge, and in the Annual Reports. 



Mr. Swan has been specially occupied during the year in collecting 

 material for the American display at the International Fishery Exhi- 

 bition, to be held in London in May next; and it is believed that his 

 collection, when received, will leave but little to be desired in the way 

 of a satisfactory representation of the aboriginal and other fisheries of 

 Puget Sound. 



Capt. Charles Bendire, while stationed at Fort Walla Walla and at 

 Fort Klamath, has continued his researches into the bird life of the 

 Northwest; and, with his usual success, has secured many rare speci- 

 mens of the nests and eggs of birds, as well as of their skins. 



To Captain Bendire we are also indebted for important collections of 

 reptiles, fishes, and small mammals, also fossil remains of both animals 

 and plants. 



California. — Mr. R. E. C. Stearns has been engaged in collecting ma- 

 terial along the coast of California for the London Fishery Exhibition, 

 and has also visited Puget Sound, Washington Territory, and Oregon 

 in the same connection; and to him we owe some interesting collections 

 of specimens in archaeology obtained in the interior of California. 



Mr. Gustav Eisen, a well-known naturalist, has also contributed some 

 acceptable collections in archaeology from the vicinity of Fresno. 

 H. Mis. 26 2 



