REPOirr OF ASSISTANT SECKETAKY. 127 



U. S. FISH €03miSSlON. 



Exceedin.uly important contributions iiave been received yearly from 

 the IT. S. Fish Conunission. Lar<;e quantities of material, embracing 

 tishes, mammals, reptiles, batrachians, insects, birds, birds' eggs, fos- 

 sils, plants, and geological and arclneological objects, hnve been trans 

 nutted to the Museum by the Commission, astheresidts of expeditions. 

 Important contributions to our knowledge of the fauna of the West 

 Indies have been made by the steamer Albatross. Searches made for 

 new fishing gnumds in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of New- 

 foundland and the adjoining region, abounded in results of great prac- 

 tical as well as scientific value. Explorations along the entire Atlanti(5 

 coast of North America, from the Grand Bank of Newfoundland to the 

 southern part of Florida and the Bahamas, produced results of biologic 

 importance. Dr. Tarleton H. Bean exj)lored the waters adjacent to Long- 

 Island, and succeeded in making some Interesting scientific and prac- 

 tical discoveries. Mr. ( 'haiies H. Townsend made extensive explora- 

 tions on the coast of California, and obtained valuable statistics in 

 regard to the fisheries of the Pacific coast. He also visited Mount 

 Shasta and carefully noted the distribution of animal life. 



Through the courtesy of the Commissioner of Fisheries two employes 

 of the Museum were permitted to accompany the schooner Grampus on 

 its trip to the Gulf of St, Lawrence in 1887, for the purpose of investi- 

 gating the natural history of that region, and especially of securing 

 remains of the Great Auk, Success attended their efforts, and a large 

 amount of material was secured. 



The Museum is indebted to the Commission for the valuable services 

 rendered by Mr, Richard Bathbun, as honorary curator of marine inver- 

 tebrates; I)r, Tarleton H. Bean, as honorary curator of fishes, and Capt. 

 J. \V Collins, as honorary curator of fisheries and naval architecture. 



K.— EXPLORATIONS. 



The material Avbich has been received by the National Museum dur- 

 ing the year, as a result of the work of the various collectors, who were 

 either commissioned by the Museum to gather specimens or who 

 offered their services, has greatly enriched the collections. 



Through the courtesy of the Secretary of the Treasury, wh(i com- 

 missioned Mr. Henry W. Elliott, of the Smithsonian Institute, to visit 

 Alaska in the interest of the seal tisheries, a taxidermist of the Museum 

 was allowed to accompany Mr. Elliott, Mr, William Palmer being se- 

 lected for that duty. The results of this trip were highly gratifying, 

 and valuable assistance was rendered by Capt, W, C, Coulson, of the 

 U, S, Revenue Marine steamer Bii.sJi. The collections included a fine 

 specimen of walrus, the first obtained by the Smithsonian Institution 

 from Walrus Island since 1857, This was transmitted by Capt, Coul- 



