XLVIII REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OB 1 FISH AND FISHERIES. 



8. — COURTESIES AND ASSISTANCE RECEIVED EY THE FISH COMMIS- 

 SION. 



A.— From the United States Government. 



Treasury Department.— Secretary's Office— In planting- young- cod- 

 fish at Pensacola it was very desirable to Lave the use of a steamer. The 

 revenue cutter Forward, by direction of the honorable Assistant Secre- 

 tary, C. S. Fairchild, transported the fish and messenger in charge of the 

 shipment to the point selected for depositing the fish. 



Bureau of Statistics. — This Bureau has issued circulars and letters of 

 instruction to collectors of customs, at ports where fishing- vessels are 

 documented, with the result of furnishing the Fish Commission much sta- 

 tistical material. 



Light-House Board.— The assistance of this Board in securing ocean 

 temperature observations at thirty-five of the principal light houses and 

 lightships upon the Atlantic coast has been continued. 



Coast and Geodetic Surrey. — The Commissioner has received a large 

 supply of maps and charts published by this Survey; especially upon 

 the fitting out of the Grampus in May a complete set was furnished for 

 her use. 



Life-Saving Service. — The keepers and patrolmen of this service, by di- 

 rection of Superintendent J. H. Kimball, continue to report the stranding 

 of marine animals upon the sea-coast. Among the specimens thus ob- 

 tained were the following: 



In March Mr. D. M. Etheridge, keeper of the Currituck Inlet Station, 

 forwarded a rare shark, Hexanclius griseus, the first of this species seen 

 on the United States coast. 



Mr. E. H. Bunkers, Fletcher's Neck Station, Biddeford Pool, Me., sent 

 a specimen of Argentina situs, a fish which is extremely rare on our coast, 

 although not uncommon in Norway. 



On July 5 Captain Edwards, of the Amagansett Station, forwarded a 

 torpedo, or cramp-fish, to be mounted for exhibition. 



War Department. — Permission for using the buildings and grounds 

 at Fort Washington for the purpose of hatching shad was continued. 



Signal Office.— During the occupancy of the Wood's Holl Station in 

 July, August, and September, the Signal Office furnished weather pre- 

 dictions and special warnings of approaching storms. Copies of tem- 

 perature reports made by observers at certain points of interest were 

 also furnished as during preceding years. 



Engineer Office. — Col. Peter C. Hains, engineer in charge of Potomac 

 River fiats improvements, gave authority to cut sods from the fiats for 

 turfing about the carp ponds. 



Navy Department. — The officers and crews of the Albatross, Fish 

 Hawk, and Halcyon have been furnished by the Navy Department, and 

 the facilities of various navy-yards, particularly those at Washington 

 and Norfolk, have been extended to the Commission. 



