XIV REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



dence of tlie Oommissioner, built by him with special refereDce to the 

 same, and for the use of which compensation was neither asked nor 

 received. The accommodation thus furnished j)roving too contracted, 

 an appropriation for rent of ofQces was for the first time made in 1881, 

 and upon the vacant lot adjacent to the Commissioner's residence a 

 suitable building was erected by the owner, Mr. J. O. Wilson, and 

 occupied by the Commission in the latter part of the year. This, how- 

 ever, has not in anj' way obviated the necessity of the continued em- 

 ployment of the office rooms in the Commissioner's own residence. 

 The most noteworthy features of the year have been the following: 



1. The production and distribution of German carp on a much larger 

 scale than heretofore, in spite of the flood of February 12, which threat- 

 ened to sweep away all the breeding fish. 



2. The construction of an additional carp pond. 



3. The construction of a car suitable for distributing fish of all kinds, 

 and an entire change in the methods of fish transportation. 



4. An entire change in the policy of distributing fish in i)ublic waters, 

 whereby, instead of depositing a few fish in a great many localities, a 

 great many fish have this year been introduced in fewer localities. 



5. An unprecedentedly lar^ yield of shad and consequent increase 

 in the distribution of fry. 



G. A flood in the McCloud River sweei)ing away all the works at that 

 station, and which resulted in a decrease of production and distribution 

 of California salmon and of California trout. 



7. Extended experiments upon the hatching of cod at Wood's Holl 

 in winter, and of Spanish mackerel at Cherrystone in suninier. 



8. The exportation of young carp, the eggs of California and land- 

 locked salmon, and of the whitefish, to foreign countries. 



9. Imi)ortant investigations into the embryology and food of fishes, 

 and upon the retardation of the development of the eggs of shad. 



10. Tlie inauguration of experiments looking to the artificial propa- 

 gation of the oyster. 



11. The further investigation of the new tile-fish grounds, and the 

 publication of instructions for the use of the cod gill-net, which had 

 been previously introduced in the ocean fisheries upon the recommen- 

 dation of the Fish Commission. 



12. The collection, arrangement, and distribution to educational in- 

 stitutions of a series of marine invertebrates. 



13. The i)reparation of plans and specifications for an ocean steamer, 

 an appropriation of $103,000 for the construction of a vessel foi- deep- 

 sea research having been made by Congress. 



14. The securing, with money raised by i)rivate subscription, of a 

 large tract of land on Wood's Holl Harbor upon which to establish a 

 station for the artificial propagation of sea-fishes, such as cod, &c., and 

 also for general biological research. 



15. The establislinient, l)y act of Congress, of an annual Bulletin of 



