52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



eries, to form one of the series to be presented by the Superinteudeut of 

 the Census as the result of his investigations in 1880, has been the main 

 object of the work ; but in connection with this statistical work, extensive 

 investigation into the methods of the fisheries, into the distribution of 

 the fishing grounds, and the natural history of useful aquatic animals, has 

 been, and is being, carried on. The direction of tliis investigation from 

 the start has been confided to Mr. G. Brown Goode, who was appointed 

 agent of the Census Ofl&ce, and has been carrying on the work in addi- 

 tion to the performance of his duties in connection with the National 

 Museum. 



The work began on July 1, 1879, and the final report, it is hoped^ 

 will be ready for publication as early as February, 1882. The scheme 

 of investigation and the methods of inquiry are described at length on 

 pages 78, 79 of my report for 1880, and in this place it seems neces- 

 sary only to mention under the head of each district the names of the 

 persons employed and the dates during which the investigation was 

 carried on. The districts and departments, twenty-fonr in number, 

 have been covered as follows : 



I. Coast of Maine east of Portland, by E. E. Earll and Capt. J. W. 

 Collins, from August 1 to October, 1879, and from July 29 to October 

 20, 1880. 



II. Portland to Plymouth (except Cape Ann) and eastern side of 

 Buzzard's Bay, by W. A. Wilcox, from September 2, 1879, to March 1, 

 1881. 



III. Cape Ann, by A. Howard Clark, from September, 1879, to No- 

 vember, 1880. 



IV. Cape Cod, by F. W. True, from July, 1879, to October, 1879, and 

 during September and October of 1880. 



V. Provincetown, by Capt. N. E. Atwood, from August, 1879, to 

 August, 1880. 



VI. Ehode Island and Connecticut, west to the Connecticut Eiver, 

 by Ludwig Kumlien, from August 16 to October 16, 1880. 



VII. Long Island and north shore of Long Island Sound and west 

 to Sandy Hook, by Fred. Mather, from August 1, 1879, to July, 1881. 



VIII. New York City, by Baruet Phillips, from January, 1880, to 

 July, 1881. 



IX. Coast of New Jersey, by E, E. Earll, during December, 1880. 



X. Philadelphia, by C.W. Smiley and W. V. Cox, during November, 

 1880. 



XI. Coast of Delaware, by Capt. J. W. Collins, during December, 

 1880. 



XII. Baltimore and the oyster industry of Maryland, by E. H. Ed- 

 munds, at various interv'als during 1880. 



XIII. Atlantic coast of Southern States, by E. E. Earll, from Janu- 

 - ary to July, 1880. 



XIV. Gulf coast, by Silas Stearns, from August, 1879, to July, 1880. 



