REPORT OF DEPARTMKNT OV FISHES. 173 



1883. 



The winter of 1882-83 was spent by Professor Gilbert in making col 

 I«M'tions of fishes at Panama and at neighboring^ points on botli sulo^s of 

 tlie Isthmus as well as in the fresh waters of the Isthmus and of Costa 

 l\ica. A large collection obtained was extremely rich in fresh-water 

 forms ;ind contained some 40 species new to science. It was unfortu- 

 nately totally destroyed by the burning of the rauseuTu building of the 

 Indiana University, July 12, 1883. 



At this time about one-third of the collection i)reviously made l)y 

 Tiofessor (Gilbert at Mazatlan and Panama was also destroycMl, as well 

 as the private collections of Professor Gilbert and myself, which were 

 very rich in the department of fishes. Nothing was published concern- 

 ing these collections of 1883. 



In the si)ring of 1883 a small collection of fishes was made in the 

 t'lear Fork of the Cumberland River by Mr. Joseph Swain and the 

 writer. After the fire a third collection was made at Venice by Mr. 

 Swain and myself. Small collections were also obtained at Wood's 

 Holl, Mass., and in difierent streams of Indiana. 



in November and December, 1883, I undertook a reconnaissance of 

 the tish fauna of the Florida Keys. A day was spent at Jacksonville, 

 Fla., a lew days at Cedar Keys, Fla., about three weeks at Key West, 

 Fla., and nearly two weeks in Havana. In this work I was assisted by 

 Mr. William H. Dye, a student of Indiana University. Large collec- 

 tions were obtained, especially at Key West and at Havana — upwards 

 of 25 species being new to science. The collections made in Florida 

 have been described in different papers in the Proceedings of the 

 V. S. National Museum for 1884. Those from Havana have not yet 

 been placed on record. 



1884. 



In July 1884 I was asked by Prof. G. Brown Goode, curator of the 

 r. S. National Museum, to take charge of a series of exj)lorations of the 

 streams of the Southern States, to be undertaken in connection with 

 ttie New Orleans Exposition. In this work I was assisted by Professor 

 (iilbert, Prof. Joseph Swain, and Mr. Seth E. Meek. 



Field work was begun early in July by Professors GillMirt and 

 Swain in different streams in Indiana. Later the^' extended their e.\- 

 j>lorations southward, niaking collections in the Rolling Fork, the Kock 

 Castle, Cnnd)erland, Clinch, French Broad, and Stone's Rivers; later 

 in the tributaries of the Tennessee, about Florence, Tuscuml>ia, and 

 Huntsville, in Alabauja, and in those of the Black Warrior, about 

 Cnlbiian, lllonnl Spiings, Wairio!', and Tuscaloosa. This exploration 

 of iIh- 'rcnnt'ssce i»asin luought to liglit a number of new fnnns. vs\h' 

 • ■iall\ in the group oi' I'Jtheostomincc. 



Meanwhile the writer, assisted by Mr. Seth l). Mt-ek, i)egan lield 

 work in the Des Moines River, in Southern Iowa. The Des Moines, 



