REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



A.— GENEEAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



1. — INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



In presenting berewitli the tenth of the series of annual reports upon 

 the work of the United States Fish Commission, being for the year 1882, 

 I hope to show a continued increase in the extent and efficiency, and, I 

 trust, utility, of its work. 



A volume has been published annually, with a single exception, when, 

 for reasons exi)lained at the time, the reports for the years 1873-'74, and 

 1874-'75, were couibined. 



The establishment of the Commission in 1871 at the time appeared 

 to be but a slight incident in the history of the country. As previously 

 shown the work first intrusted to the Commission was that of investi- 

 gating the alleged decrease in the food-fishes of the United States, and 

 it was not until the second year of its existence that action looking to- 

 wards the propagation of food-fishes, and their transfer to, or mnlti[)li- 

 cation in, the Avaters of the United States was ordered and authorized. 



With the acquisition, by tho favor of Congress, of steamers capable 

 of carrying on work in the ocean, as well as in the interior waters, the 

 possibilities of usefulness have becoine greatly extended, and much 

 has been attempted as well as accomplished. In addition to the regu- 

 lar work of the Commission, it has become possible to do a great deal 

 for the advancement of science in general, especially by prosecuting re- 

 searches into the general natural history of the aquatic animals and 

 plants, either by the Commission itself or by specialists to whom the 

 facilities of the service are extended in the way of use of boats, of sta- 

 tions, and of material. 



The Com mission has also made very large collections of aquatic animals, 

 especially of fishes, shells, corals, crustaceans, star fishes, &c., and after 

 submitting them to a careful investigation for monographic research, 

 and setting aside a full series for the National Museum, the remainder 

 has been made up into well identified and labelled sets for distribution 

 to colleges, academies, and other institutions of learning throughout 

 the United States. The educational advantages of this last measure 

 have proved to be of the utmost value, and are thoroughly appreciated 

 by teachers throughout the country. Applications for these sets are 

 being' continually received, and several hundreds of them have already 

 S. Mis. 40 u ^vii 



