EEPOKT OF THE SECRETARY. 61 



Cuban fishes, wliicli liave an especial value, as being tj pes of liis pro])ose(l 

 memoir on the subject, which, should it appear ou the scale contemplated, 

 ^yill be the most extensive work ever published ou the fishes of auy 

 country. 



From the west coast of the United States the most important additions 

 have been of the fishes of Alaska, sent by Mr. E. W. Nelson, from Saint 

 Micliaels, and those of Puget Sound, by Mr, James G. Swan. 



In the collection of fishes gathered in Cumberland Gulf by jMr.L. Kum- 

 lien, while connected with the Howgate Exjyedition, were several of kinds 

 new to the fauna of northeastern North America, and others of great 

 value as illustrating the species obtained by the United States Fish 

 Commission at Gloucester, either by its own efibrts or by the aid of the 

 fleet of fishermen belonging to that port. 



The Natural History Museum of Paris has contributed a series of the 

 fishes of France and the Mediterranean. A series of the fresh-water 

 fishes of Northern Siberia has been furnished by Dr. Otto Finsch as the 

 result of his recent well-known exj^l orations. 



Among the more noticeable results of recent efforts to extend and 

 increase the useful food-fishes of the United States, that have come to 

 hand, are specimens of full-grown shad from the Sacrameiito Eiver, con- 

 tribvited by JMr. Thomas Bassett; a pair of shad from the Oliio, by Mr. 

 AVilliam Grifiith, of Kentucky; a mature salmon from the Connecticut 

 Eiver, obtained through ]Mr. E. G. Blackford; one from the Delaware, 

 weighing 23 pounds, presented by jMr. E. J. Anderson, Fish Commis- 

 sioner of New Jersey; aud one of 19 pounds, taken in the Susquehanna, 

 by Mr. Frank Farr near the shad-hatching station of the United States 

 Fish Commission, five miles below the railroad bridge at Havre de Grace. 

 In addition to these, many specimens of young California salmon and 

 of landlocked salmon have also come to hand. 



Invo'tch rates. — In the department of invertebrates the collections have 

 been largely confined to the marine species, especially as no particular 

 eftbrt is now made to gather the insects which form the great body of 

 terrestrial forms. By an arrangement between the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion and the Department of Agriculture, all the collections in the line of 

 insects and terrestrial articulates generally are transferred to tlie care 

 of that department, where, uuder the supervision of its entomologist, 

 they are likely to render excellent service. 



Of land and fresh-water mollusca quite a number of specimens have 

 been received and properly cared for. Of marine im'ertebrata most 

 gatherings have been secured, especially through the efibrts of the 

 United States Fish Commission, at Gloucester, the labor being jier- 

 formed under the special direction of Prof. A. E. Yerrill, of Yale Col- 

 lege, assisted by Messrs. Kichard Eathbun and Warren J. Upham. In 

 this service, however, the work connected with the collection and ar- 

 rangement of the marine mollusca was under tbe direction of ]\Ir. Siin- 

 derson Smith, of New York, a competent conchologist, the value of whose 



