REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 67 



No. XIV. Birds from the coasts of westeru North America and adjacent islands, 

 collected in 1888-89, with descriptions of new species. By Chas. H. Townsend, resi- 

 dent naturalist of the steamer Albatross. (Proc. U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 131 to 142.) 



No. XV. Reptiles from the Clarion and Socorro islands and the Gulf of California, 

 with desci'iptions of a new species. By Chas. II. Townsend, resident naturalist of the 

 steamer AJbatross. (Proe. U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 143, 144. ) 



No. XVI. Plants collected in 1889 at Socorro and Clarion islands, Pacific Ocean. 

 By Dr. Geo. Vasey and J. N. Rose, botanist and assistant botanist, Department of 

 Agriculture. (Proc. U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 145 to 149.) 



No. XVII. Descriptions of new West American land, fresh-water, and marine 

 shells, with notes and comments. By Robert E. C. Stearns, adjunct curator of the 

 department of mollusks. (Proc. U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 205 to 225). 



No. XVIII. Lists of fishes obtained in t.heharl)or of Bahia, Brazil, .and in adjacent 

 waters. By David Starr Jordan, pi-esident of the University of Indiana. (Proc. 

 U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 313 to 336.) 



No. XIX. A supplementary list of fishes collected at the Galapagos Islands and 

 Panama, with descriptions of one now genus and tliree new species. By Charles H. 

 Gilbert, professor of zoiUogy, University of Indiana. (Proc. U. S. N. M., 1890, pp. 

 449 to 455). 



During- the period covering the months from February to May, 1891, 

 the Fish Comuiissiou steamer A ?&af/'os.v, by special authorization of the 

 President, made an extended cruise along the west coast of Central 

 America and the Galapagos Islands, including also the west coast of 

 Mexico and the Gulf of California. The scientific work of the vessel 

 was under the direction of Prof. Alexander Agassiz, of the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. The specimens collected 

 were taken in charge by him, and groups distributed to specialists for 

 examination and report, and the results will be duly published. 



The distribution of the publications of the Commission consisted of 

 1,953 copies of the Reports, 2,045 copies of the Bulletins, and about 0,500 

 copies of articles, in pamphlet form, extracted from the Reports and 

 Bulletins. In addition to these there were issued 1,372 copies of the 

 reports prepared by the Commission in conjunction with the Tenth 

 Census on the "Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States," 

 and 1,278 copies of the report from the Committee on Merchant Marine 

 and Fisheries of the House of Representatives in an "Investigation of 

 the Fur-Seal and other Fisheries of Alaska" (Report No. 3883, House 

 of Representatives, Fiftieth Congress, second session), of which a num- 

 ber were assigned by act of Congress to this Commission. 



The accessions to the library, mainly obtained through gift and ex- 

 change for the publications of the Commission, embraced 1,694 volumes, 

 including pamphlets and periodicals. Of these 457 related to fish, fish- 

 culture, and the fisheries, and 1,237 to geology, botany, zoology, and the 

 natural sciences in general. 



