CXLVI REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH A.ND FISHERIES. 



Distribution of collections. — Large collections of fishes, mollusks, 

 crustaceans, reptiles, and other objects of natural history obtained by 

 the field assistants and vessels of the Commission have been transferred 

 to the U. S. National Museum, in accordance with established custom. 

 In response to requests, a number of series of fresh- water and marine 

 fishes, preserved in alcohol, were prepared from duplicate material on 

 hand and sent to various leading educational institutions. 



Educational exhibit at Washington, D. G. — During the meeting of the 

 ISIational Educational Association at Washington, July 7 to 12, 1898, 

 the various departments of the Government united in making an exhibit 

 in the Central High School building for the information and instruction 

 of the teachers in attendance. The main object of the exhibit was to 

 acquaint instructors with the functions of the different Government 

 bureaus, their methods of work, and the ways in which the results may 

 be made available in our system of public instruction. The exhibits 

 Avere largely geographical in character. The exhibit of the Fish Com- 

 mission, which was installed by Dr. B. W. Evermann and Mr. M. C. 

 Marsh, attracted much attention; it embraced the following: Samples 

 of seines and other collecting appliances used by the Commission in 

 its field work; thermometers, salinometers, sounding apparatus, etc.; 

 microscopes and other laboratory instruments; apparatus used in 

 handling eggs of different fishes propagated by the Commission and in 

 shipping live fish and eggs; series of alcoholic fishes illustrating the 

 species propagated; series of alcoholic fishes illustrating the geograph- 

 ical distribution of the genera of American fresh- water fishes; a series 

 of aquatic invertebrates, such as are collected by the Commission and 

 furnished by the United States National Museum to high schools and 

 colleges for exhibition purposes; series of drawings illustrating one 

 species in each of the more important families of North American fishes; 

 maps showing the location of United States fish-cultural stations, the 

 streams and lakes which have been investigated by the Commission, 

 geographical distribution of certain important fishes; charts showing 

 surveys made of oyster-grounds, etc., and a complete set of Fish Com- 

 mission publications. 



