KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XV 



4.— SERVICES RENDERED BY THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



The extent and character of the distribution of eggs and young fish 

 by the Fish Commission during the year will be found detailed in spe- 

 cial reports on that subject and in the accompanying tables. 



It may be well to call attention to what has been done in supplying 

 eggs and fish to other countries. This has been done partly as an ex- 

 periment, partly as a return for favors the transportation received, and 

 partly for the purpose of keeping up an international comity, such as 

 should prevail between various governments. A handsome acknowl- 

 edgement was made on the part of the French authorities, in the form 

 of a gold medal issued to the Fish Commission for its services in intro- 

 ducing the California salmon into France. In reply to an application 

 to that effect a full series of the reports of the Commission was presented 

 and a large amount of special information furnished. 



At the close of the International Exhibition of 187G an organization, 

 entitled "The Permanent Exhibition Company," took charge of the 

 main building and secured a large portion of the contents for the pur- 

 pose of maintaining, with new additions, an interesting exhibition of 

 the resources and industries of the world in general. Their plan in- 

 cluded illustrations of processes of various kinds, and among them 

 those relating to fish culture. Application was made to the Fish Com- 

 mission for its assistance in this connection. As, however, the imme- 

 diate work of the Commission required all its material and machinery, 

 it was thought inexpedient to incur any extra expense in having addi- 

 tional apparatus prepared for this purpose. The invitation was, there- 

 fore, respectfully declined. 



B.— INQUIRY INTO THE HISTOEY AND STATISTICS OF FOOD 



FISHES. 



5. — FIELD OPERATIONS DURING THE SUMMER OF 1879. 



Eeference has been made in previous reports, as well as in the com- 

 mencement of the present one to the services rendered by the Navy 

 Department to the Fish Commission in the prosecution of its inquiries 

 into the condition of the fisheries of the Eastern coast of the United 

 States, the detailing, first, of the small launch in 1871 ; then of the " Blue 

 Light" in 1873, 1871, and 1875, and of the " Speedwell" in 1877 and 1878, 

 having been duly acknowledged. The work of the year 1879 has shown 

 a similar dependence upon the co-operation of that department in the 

 renewal of the detail of the Speedwell. Commander L. A. Beardslee 

 having been assigned to other duty, Lieut. Z. L. Tanner, an experienced 

 officer of the Navy, was placed by the secretary in command, Avith Mate 

 James A. Smith, as executive officer, William B. Boggs, as engineer, 

 John Corwine, as paymaster, and Dr. J. H. Kidder, as surgeon. Dr. 

 Kidder acted in a similar capacity to the Commission in 1875. 



Provincetown having been selected as being the center of a region 



