40 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Oceau, with a view of investigations into the causes of movements of 

 fish aud other marine animals. 



, On the application of the Institution in behalf of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union the Board also promptly gave instructions to light- 

 house keepers to Iceep the record of migrations of birds as shown 

 principally by their being picked up after striking against the light- 

 houses on dark nights. 



The instructions of the Life-Saving Service to its agents to co-operate 

 with the Institution in its investigations have also borne good fruit in 

 the way of collecting information of the occurrence of rare and inter- 

 esting forms of marine animals. 



In order to increase in every possible way the material in the de- 

 partment of materia medica iwthe National Museum, above referred to, 

 under the Navy Department, application was made to the Treasury 

 Department for instructions to the collectors of customs in the sea- 

 board cities to transmit samples of drugs submitted by specialists for 

 investigation, so as to serve as illustrations of both the crude importa- 

 tions and the adulterations attempted from time to time by importers. 

 A favorable response was made, and quiteanumber of collections have 

 already been received. 



Tlic usnal courtesies of the Revenue Marine to the work of the Smith- 

 sonian have been continued during theyear,thechief of the bnreau hav- 

 ing instructed its captains in Alaska to further Mr. Swan's proposed 

 exploration for the Institution by receiving him and his collections on 

 board whenever such action will not interfere with the regular service 

 of tlie vessels. Captain Healy, of the " Corwin," has also, by the author- 

 ity of the bureau, continued to make important contributions of collec- 

 tions. 



The chief of the Bureau of Revenue Marine also kindly instructed 

 the commander of the revenue steamer "Key West" to assist Mr. Hemp- 

 hill in carrying on his explorations of the Florida keys in behalf of the 

 National Museum. 



Inferior Department. — It has always been the policy of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution to make amicable arrangements witli the various 

 Departments of the Government by which to avoid duplication of effort 

 in material. This has been shown in many ways, as in the arrange- 

 ment with.the Commissioner of Agriculture to transfer all specimens of 

 plants and insects to that establishment and all human crania to the 

 Army Medical Museum, receiving from them in return whatever might 

 belong to the department of general natural history and ethnology. 



A second instance of this sj)irit was shown in the transfer to the 

 United States Signal Service of the results of the meteorological corre- 

 spondence aud labors which had been so effective in the hands of the 

 Smithsonian Institution for nearly twenty-live years. 



Major Powell, of the United States Geological Survey, has organized 

 a special department of maps and charts, with a view of utilizing the 



