[37] THE STATUS OF THE FISH COMMISSION. 1175 



of one of the bureaus of an executive department. Except iu the divi- 

 sions of records and accounts routine is reduced to a minimum ; and, 

 indeed, the amount of clerical work is very small. Any kind of depart- 

 mental routine would be prejudicial to the service, particularly of that 

 kind which would trammel the action of its presiding officer. 



In support of this statement, let us examine the condition of afiairs 

 in England. The fishery interests of the nation, so far as inland waters 

 are concerned are assigned to the home office, and Her Majesty's inspec- 

 tor of salmon fisheries occupies a desk iu one of the imposing depart- 

 mental structures at Whitehall. Following the example of the United 

 States an eminent zoologist, the j^resideut of the Eoyal Society, Pro- 

 fessor Huxley, occupies this position, which corresponds, in England, 

 more nearly than anything else, to our Commissionership of Fisheries. 

 Bound hand and foot by departmental routine, Professor Huxley, whom 

 no one can accuse of lack of originality in conception and enterj^rise in 

 execution, has, during his three years of office, done nothing in any wise 

 different from what was done by his predecessor, who was not a man 

 of science — nor could he if he were to try. 



Holland, Germany, and Norway, are the only European nations which 

 exhibit intelligent enterprise in the consideration of fishery questions 

 in general, although fair work is done by Sweden and other countries 

 in the treatment of limited special branches of this industry. These 

 three countries are, it should be noted, the ones in which special com- 

 missions, independent, in a measure, of administrative control, have 

 been organized. 



In Germany, which lieads the van, the functions of the German Fish- 

 ery Union {Beutscher Fiseherei Verein), and of the commission for the in- 



exectited drawings. Another i)aper of iniportaucc, full of curiouB information, is that 

 of Mr. A. E. Verrill, 'On the Cephalopoda of the Northeast Coast of America;' it is 

 also profusely illustrated with fine drawings. 'The Propagation of the Eel' is a 

 contribution which is sure to attract attention ; the article is by Dr. Otto Hermes, 

 and was read before the German Fishery Association. Although brief it contains 

 many features of interest in connection with the natural history of the curious animal 

 of whicli it treats, and describes most distinctly the dLfferences of the two sexes. The 

 author of this paper announces that the old eels, both males and females, die soon 

 after the spawning season; 'the extraordinary rapid development of their organs of 

 generation exhausts them to such a degree that they die soon after having spawned.' 

 This is the reason why ttey are never seen to return to the rivers. Among the mis- 

 cellaneous contents of the present report will be found instructive essays on the food 

 of marine animals, by Prof. K. Mobius. In the appendix will be found a very readable 

 account of the herring fisheries of Iceland, as alstf a short treatise on the fisheries of 

 the west co;ist of South America. One of the most important scientific papers which 

 is given is one containing a reprint of a series of extracts from the investigations of 

 the Commission for the Scientific Examination of the German Seas; it contains much 

 that will prove of interest both to naturalists and economists. It may be safely said 

 alike of the ji^'esent and the preceding reports, that they contain amass of information on 

 fish and fisheries of a kind ivhicJi has never been before bi-ought to a focus, and in issuing 

 such a guide to all interested the United States Government luttt net Jt« an example which we 

 ouglu at once to follow. The volume is published at Washington, and is printed at the 

 Government Printing Office." 



