

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 17 



Among his more recent transmissions are included a new species of 

 petrel, which lias been named in his honor. Mr. Fisher is contemplat- 

 ing an extended exploration of the interior of Alaska at some future 

 day, and will doubtless make his mark, owing to his thorough prepara- 

 tion for the work. 



A few collections of a miscellaneous character have been received 

 from Sitka, although none of any particular importance. 



Lieut. Commander H. E. Nicbolls, in command of the United States 

 Coast Survey steamer Hassler, in the course of his labors in Alaskan 

 waters, during the year 18S3, has utilized bis opportunities, as hereto- 

 fore, in the interest of the National Museum, by collecting a large num- 

 ber of objects of interest and transmitting them to Washington. 



Among the localities in the North Pacific Ocean least known to nat- 

 uralists are the Commander Islands (Bering and Copper), situated 

 about 70 miles off the coast of Kamtschatka, and forming a connecting 

 link between that mainland and the Aleutian Archipelago. 



The chief interest of this group of islands lies in the fact that it was 

 the home of the great northern sea-cow (Rhytina gigas), a marine 

 mammal related to the manatee, and of enormous size, reaching a length 

 of 30 feet and a weight of several thousand pounds. 



This animal was only known by civilized man for a small number of 

 years before its complete extermination, and more than one hundred 

 years must have elapsed since the existence of the last survivor. 



The Smithsonian Institution has for some time taken special interest 

 in the Commander Islands in connection with the northern sea-cow ; 

 and also in the desire to determine what are the faunal and floral re- 

 lationships between them and the Asiatic continent on the one side, 

 and the American islands on the other. 



In the Report for 1882 brief mention is made of the opportunity which 

 presented itself for exploring the region in question .through the court- 

 esy of the Alaska Commercial Company in offering its most liberal aid 

 in carrying out the undertaking. 



The Signal Office also desired to have a station on the island and 

 another on the adjacent mainland of Kamtschatka, so as the more read- 

 ily to connect the observations of the Russian Government on the con- 

 tinent of Asia with those on the Aleutian Archipelago and circumpolar 

 regions, partly under its own direction and partly under that of the 

 Canadian Government. 



Dr. L. Stejneger, an eminent Norwegian naturalist, at the time iu 

 "Washington, accepted the invitation of the Smithsonian Institution to 

 take charge of the proposed exploration 5 and, as stated in the last Re- 

 port, he left Washington towards the end of March, 1882, expecting to 

 sail from San Francisco on the 1st of April. He was, however, delayed 

 for several days by snow on the line of the Union Pacific Railroad ; the 

 Alaska Commercial Company, with unexampled courtesy, holding their 

 vessel until the doctor's arrival in San Francisco, 

 H, Mis. 00—2. 



