EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. HI 



having again been obtained from Professor Henry, I proceeded to East- 

 port, in Maine, as a convenient point from which to prosecute my inquiries, 

 arriving there on the 19th of June. I carried with me all the apparatus 

 necessary for my work, and as soon as possible entered upon the inves- 

 tigation as to the present condition of the fisheries. 



I succeeded in obtaining a gteat deal of information from persons 

 resident in the town and vicinity, connected more or less with the fish- 

 eries ; especially from Capt. TJ. S. Treat, of Treat's Island, Mr. William 

 J. Odell, Mr. C. H. Dyer, Mr. Bucknam and others, of Eastport, Capt. 

 Eobinson Owen, of Campobello, &c. 



It gives me very great pleasure to acknowledge the courtesies of the 

 Department of Marine and Fisheries of the Dominion of Canada during 

 the investigations prosecuted in the time mentioned. Before proceed- 

 ing to Eastport, I addressed the Hon. Peter Mitchell, minister of the 

 department, stating my objects, and asking for some form of document 

 by which I might be accredited to the official fishery authorities of the 

 Dominion, not only to prevent any interference on their part, but to 

 secure their co-operation and assistance. This was promptly supplied, 

 and authority granted to capture fish by any desired method, whether 

 in accordance with the laws of the dominion or not, all the subordinate 

 officers of the department being at the same time required to render me 

 whatever help I might demand. 



From this document, as well as from personal letters furnished by 

 Mr. William F. Whitcher, commissioner of the Dominion fisheries, and 

 by Mr. William H. Venning, inspector of fisheries. Saint John, ;N"ew 

 Brunswick, I received much benefit. I am also under obligations 

 for assistance to Mr. W. B. McLaughlin, fishery-overseer at the Southern 

 Head, Grand Manan, especially in connection with the investigation of 

 the herring-fisheries in that vicinity. 



Desirous of making a complete collection of the different Salmomdm 

 of America, for the purpose of more accurately defining their geograph- 

 ical distribution and of determining their comparative character, I made 

 my wishes known to the Department of Marine and Fisheries, and 

 instructions were at once forwarded to its officers throughout the 

 Dominion to meet my wants. In accordance with these instructions 1 

 have already received numerous specimens of great importance to the 

 inquiry, and which will aid considerably in accomplishing the object re- 

 ferred to. Several interesting communications from these officers will be 

 found on pages 80, 81, and 82. 



Here, as at Wood's Hole, I had the co-operation of Prof. Verrill, 

 of Yale College, who kindly undertook the supervision of the investi- 

 gations into the invertebrate fauna of the Baj" of Fundy, with the assist- 

 ance especially of Mr. S. I. Smith, Mr. O. Harger, Professor Todd, Pro,- 

 fessor Rice, &c., while Prof. D. C. Eaton took charge of the subject 

 of the algie. The labors connected with the fishes of the region were 

 prosecuted with the help more especially of Prof. Theodore Gill, Mr. 



