CONTENTS. 



I.— EEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



A.— GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



Page. 



1. Introductory REMARKS ♦! 



Number of reports heretofore published *1 



Period of the year covered by each report *1 



Time covered by the present report *1 



Gradual and great increase in the labors of the Commission ■*! 



Labor involved; increase of appropriations »1 



Increased interest and co-operation in the work *1 



Assistants in charge of divisions *1 



Propagation branch *2 



Inquiries branch *2 



B.— INQUIRIES INTO THE HISTORY AND STATISTICS OF FOOD-FISHES. 



2. PlELD OPERATIONS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1877 *2 



Co-operation of the government departments *2 



Of Navy Department in previous years •2 



In 1877 by detail of steamer Speedwell *2 



Officers of the Speedwell *2, 3 



Scientific corps *.<i 



Station at Salem, Mass *3 



Visitors *3 



Nature of operations *3 



Station at Halifax, Nova Scotia «3 



Movements and final disposition of steamer *3 



Visitors *4 



Assistance rendered to Commission *4 



By private parties *4 



By the Dominion minister of customs *4 



By the minister of marine and fisheries >4 



3. General result of the field-wokk of 1877 *4 



Continuation of previous researches *4 



Discovery of the pole-flounder, a new and valuable food-fish *i 



Its economical value and geographical distribution *4, 5 



Eeasons why previously unknown *5 



Pacts connected with distribution of marine fishes *5 



Large collections made for the National Museum, and for distribution to colleges and 



academies *5 



Superintendence of work of naming and assorting *6 



C— THE HALIFAX CONVENTION. 



4. The Treaty of "Washington *6 



Unsettled fishery questions between the United States and British North America *6 



Three-mUe line *g 



Headlands *q 



Shelter and supplies *g 



License system *g 



Privileges of Treaty of 1818 *g 



Fishery clauses of "Washington Treaty *7 



Explanation of provisions *g 



Eatification in 1873 *g 



Appointment of Commissioners and counsel *9 



General preliminaries *9 



