III. Natural History. 



1. It will of course be an object on the part of tlie Commission 

 of the Treasury Department to illustrate the capabilities of 

 Russian America in reference to its furs, fisheries, and forests, 

 as well as its mineralogical and geological products. Under- 

 standing that the Coast Survey Avill take charge of matters 

 pertaining to geological observations, we would call especial at- 

 tention to the importance of securing full collections of all the 

 animals known in the Russian American fur trade. Of these the 

 most important is the sea otter, all the different recognized varie- 

 ties of which should be procured, and of different ages, with, 

 if possible, one or more skeletons. The black fox of the islands 

 should be obtained for comparison with that of the mainland 

 already in possession of the Smithsonian Institution. The dif- 

 ferent kinds of seals, especially the fur seal, of different ages, 

 including very young and very old, and if possible a walrus of 

 medium size should be secured ; good specimens of the Rocky 

 Mountain white goat with black horns, and of the Big-horn if it 

 occurs, the bears, etc., will all be of interest and value. These 

 skins should be obtained unmutilated, and having the entire 

 exterior preserved — head, with lips and ears, feet, tail, etc., 

 that they may be mounted and set up. Skulls and if possible 

 skeletons of all these animals will be desirable. Any species 

 of mammals however will be of interest to the naturalist, includ- 

 ing the mice, moles, bats, etc. 



2. Among animals of economical value the different species of 

 cetaceans, whales, porpoises, black fish, grampus, etc., are of 

 course very prominent. Of the smaller, it is very desirable to 

 have skins for stuffing ; of any the skulk with the entire skele- 

 ton, if procurable will be useful, and especially so if a sketch of 

 the animal in the flesh can be taken showing shape, proportions, 

 and distribution of color between the upper and under surfaces. 

 Very little is known of even the whales of the North Pacific, 

 as to their true relationship with those of other parts of the 

 world, and something of importance may be done in this con- 

 nection by the Commission. 



3. Among the Aleutian Islands is a great variety of sea-fowl, 

 more or less unknown to the naturalist, and which will be of 

 much interest. The most desirable of them arc the small sea- 



