REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 85 



osopliiciil intcrprctiilidii of tlic law. Fii iiiakiiiji' liis oiiyinal plans tlic, 

 Comiiiissioiiei' insisted tliat fo study only lood lislics woulil be of little 

 iniportaiice, and tiiat useful conclusions must imhmIs rest ui)om a broad 

 Ibiindation of investi,iiatioiis i)urely scientitic iu cliaracter. The life his- 

 tory of s[>ecies of economic valuer should be understood from be^inniuii' 

 to end, but no less re(|uisite is it to know the histories of the animals 

 and plants upon whicli thoy feed or u|)Oii which their food is nourished ; 

 the iiistories of their onemios and friends, and the fiiends and foes of 

 their enemies aiul friends, as well as tlie currents, tem])eratures, and 

 other i)hysical plienomena of the waters in relation to mitiration, rejtro- 

 dnction, and growth. A necessary accomplishment to this division is 

 the amassing' of material for research to be stored in the National and 

 other museums for future use. 



''(2) The investigation of the methods of fislieries, ])ast and present, 

 and the statistics of i)rodnction ajid commerce of tishery products. Man 

 bein<^ one of the chief destroyers of tish, his intluence upon their abun- 

 dance must be studied. Fishery methods and ai)paratus must be ex- 

 amined and comjiared with those of other lands, that the use of those 

 which threaten the destru(;tion of useful fishes may be discouraged, 

 and that those wliich are inethcieut may i)e rei)lace(l by others more 

 serviceal)le. Statistics of iridustry and trade must be secured for the 

 use of Congress in making- treaties or imi)osing tariffs, to show ro pro- 

 ducers tlie best markets, and to cousumers where and with what their 

 needs may be supplied. 



"(;^) The introduction and multiplication of useful food fishes through- 

 out the country, especially in waters under the jurisdictiou of the CJen- 

 eral (lovernmefit, or those common to several States, nctne of wliich 

 might feel willing to make exi)enditures for the benefit of the others. 

 This work, which was not contemi)lated when the Comnussion was es- 

 tablished, was first undertaken at the instance of the Ameiican Fish 

 Cultural Association, v/hose representatives induced Congress to make 

 a special appropriation for the purpose. 



" His relation to the organizations with which he was so closely ideu- 

 tilled, the Smithsonian fustitution, its ward, the National Museum, and 

 the Fish Commission, can in this place only be incidentally mentioned, 

 and the numerous biographioal noti{;es which have ai)peared since his 

 death have not failed to review critically the significance of his connec- 

 tion with them and his influence upon them. To his frieiuls who knew 

 him best and miss him most it seems pleasanter to dwell upon the rec- 

 ogjnition which his labors received than upon the labors themselves, his 

 devotion to which shortened his life so many years. 



" Almost every civilized country in the world has paid him nonor. 

 In 1875 he received the decoration of Knight of the Koyal Norwegian 

 order of St. Olaf from the King of Norway aiul Sweden. In 1878 lie 

 was awarded the silver medal of the Acclimatization Society of Mel- 

 bourne, and in 1879 the gold medal of the Society d'Acclinuition of 

 France. In 185() he received the (l(\gree of doctor of physical science 

 from Dickinson College, and in 187o that of doctor of laws from Co- 

 lumbian University. A few nu)nths before liis death, on the occasion of 

 the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Ilaivai'd University, the 

 same degree, ad cvikUiii^ w as conferr<'d on him as an eminent promoter of 



