REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXI 

 9. — PARTICIPATION IN STATE AND INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS IN 



1884. 



The SmithsoniaD Institution and the U. S. Fish Commission are 

 called upon with increasing^ frequency to take part in great State and 

 International Exhibitions, and it is quite evident that if this is kept up 

 for any length of time a special and continuous service must be or- 

 ganized in connection with the National Museum for discharging the 

 duties connected with these displays. The withdrawal of the services 

 of the curators and assistants from their regular work in the Museum, 

 for the preparation aod display of collections outside of Washington, 

 has greatly interfered with the work of the Museum, and has brought 

 about a well-founded complaint of incompleteness and unsatisfactory 

 presentation. The mandate of Congress, in ordering such participa- 

 tion, is necessarily imperative, however, and leaves no option. . 



The principal occasions of the kind referred to were the International 

 Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876, the fisheries exhibition at Berlin in 

 1880, and at London in 1883. Preparations of displays and their exhi- 

 bition at the fairs at Louisville, Cincinnati, and the International Cot- 

 ton Exhibition at New Orleans were also ordered ; and it may reason- 

 ably be assumed that during the year practically one-half of the time of 

 the Museum assistants has been required in connection with these sub- 

 jects, rather than with the regular work of the Museum. 



On all these occasions the National Museum and the Fish Commis- 

 sion have made satisfactory exhibitions, and were generally conceded 

 to be among the best shown. 



A fair proportion of medals and diplomas have been received in past 

 years, and during 1884 the directors of the Cincinnati exhibition 

 awarded a gold medal to the Smithsonian Institution and a silver 

 medal to the Department of Mineralogy. 



The exhibitions at Cincinnati and Louisville are closed, and the col- 

 lections were either forwarded direct to New Orleans for exhibition there 

 or returned to Washington. The New Orleans Exposition opened on 

 the 16th day of December, although but little material was in its proper 

 place. Great efforts, however, are being made by the administration 

 and the exhibitors, and it is probable that everything will be in place 

 and in running order in the course of the month of January. 



10. — MEETING OF THE AMERICAN FISH-CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



The thirteenth annual meeting of the American Fish-Cultural Asso- 

 ciation was held in the lecture room of the U. S. National Museum 

 on May 13, 14, and 15, 1884. After the meeting was called to order 

 the minutes of the last annual meeting were read, and the financial 

 state of the treasury of the association favorably reported upon. 

 During the progress of the meeting, thirty names of gentlemen were 

 proposed for membership and elected. The first paper was read by 

 Mr. Fred Mather, on " Fresh-water and Salt-water Hatching at Cold 



