84 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



equate. Arrangements were, however, subsequently made for addi- 

 tional space in vaiious parts of the reservation. 



The exhibition, which was held in the grounds of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society, was the largest special one ever held, and was par- 

 ticipated in by 31 nations and colonies. The area occupied was 21 

 acres. 



The formal opening of the exposition was made by the Prince of 

 Wales on the 12th of May, in the presence of the Court, and by June 

 1, everything was in perfect order. The American section was gen- 

 erally admitted to be the most important division of the entire exhibi- 

 tion, both on account of its contents and the manner in which they 

 were arranged and displayed. 



A series of catalogues — numbering seven — illustrative of the United 

 States exhibits, was prepared and published, and will form Bulletin of 

 the National Museum No. 27. The series is as follows: 



A. — "Preliminary Catalogue and Synopsis of the Collections exhibited 

 by the United States Fish Commission, and by special exhibitors. 

 (With a concordance to the official classification of the Exhibition.)" 

 Prepared by G. Brown Goode. Svo. 107 pp. 



B. — "Collection of Economic Crustaceans, Worms. Echinoderms, and 

 Sponges." By Richard Rathbun. Svo. 31 pp. 



C. — "Catalogue of the Aquatic and Fish-eating Birds, exhibited by 

 the United States National Museum." By Robert Ridgway. Svo. 40 pp. 



D. — "Catalogue of the Economic Mollusca, and the Apparatus and 

 Appliances used for their capture and preparation for market, exhibited 

 by the United States National Museum." By Francis Winslow. Svo. 

 86 pp. 



E. — "The Whale Fishery, and its Appliances." By James Temple 

 Brown. Svo. 116 pp. 



F. — "Catalogue of the Collections of Fishes exhibited by the United 

 States National Museum." By Tarleton H. Bean. Svo. 124 pp. 



G. — "Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection illustrating the scien- 

 tific investigation of the Sea and Fresh Waters." B} T Richard Rathbun. 

 Svo. 109 pp. 



Mr. Goode expresses himself as much gratified by the courtesy and 

 aid which the members of his party received from the managers of the 

 exhibition, particularly from Mr. Edward Birkbeck, Professor Huxley, 

 Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, Mr. A. J. R. Trendell, literary superintendent, 

 Surgeon-General Francis Day, Mr. Fell-Woods, Mr. W. Oldham Cham- 

 bers, aud Sir James G. Maitland. From the opening of the exhibition 

 to its close the buildings and grounds were thronged with visitors, not 

 only in the daytime, but at night, when they were illuminated by elec- 

 tric lights. The total number of visitors was 2,690,000, an average oi 

 18,545 a day. 



After the exhibition had got fairly under way the fishery conferences, 

 began, the opening address being made by Professor Huxley. These 

 meetings continued three months, and the reading of papers was usu- 



