REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 49 



Mr. R. S. Matthews, aid in the departmeut of mammals, died on 

 on November 13, 1895, in Atlanta, Ga., where he had been detailed for 

 duty ill connection with the Cotton States and International liixposition. 

 Although Mr. Matthews had been connected with the ^Museum only a 

 short time, he had shown marked ability, and would have undoubtedly 

 become a naturalist of prominence. 



Mr. II. Edward Earll, editor of the Proceedings and Bulletins, died 

 on March 19, 1896, The following brief account of his life, prepared 

 by the Assistant Secretary, is reprinted from Science:' 



Mr. Robert Edward Earll, who died on March 19, ;ifc Chevy Chase, near Washing- 

 ton, was one of the oldest and most trnstcd members of the staff of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, with whi(!h he had been connected in various capacities since 1877. He 

 was born at Waukegan, 111., August 24, 1853, educated in the Waukegan public 

 schools, the University of Chicago, and at the Northwestern University, where he 

 was graduated in 1877 with the degree of B. S. He entered the service of the Fish 

 Commission, under Professor Baird, as a fish culturist; in 1878 was transferred to 

 thescientific staff, njid from 1879 to 1882 was engaged in the fisheries division of the 

 Tenth Census. 



From 1885 to 1888 he was chief of the division of statistics in the Fish Oommission. 

 He was sent in 1883 to the International Fisheries Exhibition in London, as a mem- 

 ber of the staff of the Ignited States Commissiouer, and rendered very efficient serv- 

 ice as executive ofiicer and deputy representative. His aptitude for exposition work 

 was so fully demonstrated on this occasion that he has been designated chief execu- 

 tive officer at all the expositions which have since been held, for the exhibits of the 

 Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum — at Louisville and New Orleans in 

 1S84 and 1885, Cincinnati in 1888, Chicago, in 1893, and Atlanta in 1895. At the time 

 of his death ho had just completed the unpacking of the exhibits returned from the 

 South. 



Since 1888 he had been connected with tlie National Museum, with the grade of 

 curator, and for three years had been editor of the Proceedings and Bulletins of the 

 Museum. 



He was recognized by his associates as a man of fine administrative ability, which, 

 combined with great force of character, had brought him into the position of one of 

 the most efficient exposition experts living. His unselfish devotion to his work and 

 his absolute trustworthiness were ai)preciated by all who knew him, and he was 

 exceedingly popular among his associates. 



Notwithstanding his constant occupation in executive work, he produced and 

 published a considerable number of important papers in regard to the methods of 

 the fisheries and the habits of -fishes. He was one of the best authorities upon the 

 natural history of the shad and herring, and made exhaustive studies of the fishery 

 statistics of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and of the Great Lakes. Several new 

 fishes were discovered by him, one of which, an important food species of the south- 

 ern coast, obtained by him at Charleston in 1881, is called in his honor Earll's hake, 

 I'll yds carlii. He was also a skillful fish culturist, aud had much experience in the 

 early experimental work in the propagation of the shad and in the establishment of 

 the cod hatching station at Gloucester. 



He was a man of the purest personal character. His loss will be deeply fdt by 

 many in Washington. By reason of his peculiar abilities aud his great experience, 

 his death creates a void which it will V)e practically impossible to till. 



1 Vol. Ill (N. S.), No. 65, 1896, p. 171. 

 NAT MUS 90 4 



