REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 83 



carp, for which the demand continues to a degree that it is impossible 

 to meet. Every Congressional district in the United States, and in fact 

 nearly every county, has made application to receive a supply of fish, 

 and large numbers of persons were left misapplied at the close of the 

 season from exhaustion of the stock. It is proposed to extend consid- 

 erably the area of these ponds in Washington, so as to meet the still 

 increasing demand. 



Numerous researches have been prosecuted in regard to the oyster 

 and other fishes, for the purpose of securing a proper basis of practical 

 work. These investigations have been carried on principally by Mr. 

 John A. Ryder, the biologist of the Commission, and have added 

 greatly to his deserved reputation. 



Bulletin of the Fish Commission. — Reference has been made in pre- 

 ceding reports to the authorization by Congress of the printing of a 

 bulletin to contain current news of interesting facts in regard to fish 

 culture and the fisheries. Most of such matter has been furnished 

 from the correspondence of the Commission, although some articles 

 have been introduced from other sources. 



The work is printed signature by signature as the matter is ready, 

 and distributed in this form to fish commissioners and specialists who 

 desire it, this requiring about 200 copies. The remainder of the edition 

 is bound and supplied in that form. 



Of this work the House of Representatives receives 2,500 copies and 

 the Senate 1,000, all of which are eagerly sought for. 



International Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. — In the spring of 1882 Con- 

 gress authorized the United States Fish Commission to participate in 

 the International Fisheries Exhibition to be held in London in 1883, 

 and work was soon after begun and pushed forward with great activity. 

 A preliminary exhibition of such of the material as could conveniently 

 be displayed was held in the National Museum February 26, and the 

 work of packing the collections for transmission to London was begun 

 the following day. Mr. Thomas Donaldson made a satisfactory arrange- 

 ment with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company for shipping the col- 

 lections to isew York, and Messrs. Patton, Vickers & Co., agents for 

 the Monarch line of steamships, billed the goods to Loudon at greatly 

 reduced rates. 



Being myself unable to go to Loudon, I designated Mr. G. Brown 

 Goode to the President as special commissioner. He was assisted by 

 Dr. T. H. Bean and Messrs. R. E. Earll, J. W. Collins, A. H. Clark, 

 W. V. Cox, H. C. Chester, and Reuben Wood. In addition to these 

 gentlemen, Lieut. C. H. McLellan, U. S. R. M., was detailed by the 

 Life-Saving Service, Mr. Max Hansman by the Light-House Board, 

 and Sergeant James Mitchell, U. S. A., by the Signal Office. Mr. R. 

 I. Geare accompanied the party as secretary. 



The collections arrived in London in excellent condition, but it was 

 found that the space asked for by the United States was entirely inad- 



