24* REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



tention on the part of tbe United States Fish Commission, np to date, 

 are the sea salmon of the Atlantic, Salmo sa lar ; the sea salmon of the west- 

 ern coast, ;S^. quinnat^ the land-locked salmon, a local race of the Salmo 

 salary the whiteflsh, Coregoims aJhus ; the ahad, Alosa sapidissima ; the 

 fresh- water herring, Pomolohus vernalis and wstivalis^ and the German 

 carp, Cyprimis carpio. It is intended, however, to devote more or less 

 attention to the cultivation of the smelt, especially the very large, laud- 

 locked form found in certain waters in Maine. At no distant day it is 

 hoped that specimens of the Oriental Gourami, a fresh-water fish with 

 many valuable peculiarities, will be added to the list. 



It is also proposed to take some measures to introduce the California 

 brook trout to the Atlantic sloj)e, on the ground that this fish will resist 

 successfully a higher temperature of water than the Eastern trout ; and 

 although of no great comparative economical value, yet it will furnish 

 to the citizens of the more southern States of the Union a i)leasant sport 

 in their capture. The instinct of mankind appears to be to catch fish 

 under all circumstances and conditions, and the introduction of a brook 

 trout into the warmer waters of the United States will be a very pox)ular 

 move. 



11. — FACILITIES AND ASSISTANCE RENDERED. 



The prompt and hearty compliance with the requirement of the law 

 of Congress, directing the various departments of the government to 

 render such aid as might be in their power to the service of the United 

 States Fish Commission, has been a subject of great gratification, refer- 

 ence to such aid being made in various j)ortions of the present report. 



As already stated, the Navy Dei^artment furnished the iron steam- 

 tug Speedwell, with a full equipment of officers and crew for summer 

 ser^1ce off Salem and Halifax. As will be seen by Mr. Stone's report, 

 at one time during the operations at the McCloud Eiver hatching- 

 station, General McDowell, commanding the Department of the Pacific, 

 furnished a detail of one officer aiul four men for the protection of the 

 fishery against threatened violence. The co-operation of State fish com- 

 missions has been mentioned. 



I am gratified in being able to say that there lias, so far, been mani- 

 fested no jealousy in regard to the United States Fish Commission, but 

 that everything has been done to strengthen the hands of the Commis- 

 sioner and to enable him to do efficient work. 



Very important aid has been rendered by railroad companies in the 

 transportation of eggs and fish to various parts of the country, there 

 being scarcely an exception to the willingness to grant the facilities 

 asked for in the accomjianying circular. Among the earliest companies 

 to extend this aid were the Baltimore and Ohio, the Philadelx)hia, Wil- 

 mington and Baltimore, and the Pennsylvania Eailroad Companies. 

 During the year 1877, similar authority was received from forty-two com- 



