REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. XXXIX 



Through the courtesy of Messrs. Tiffany & Company, of New York, a 

 collection of pearls and pearl-bearing mollusks is shown, consisting 

 of specimens of white, pink, brown, copper-colored and fancy-colored 

 pearls, a set of pearl-bearing shells, instruments for opening them, also 

 a water -telescope for finding the mollusks, and illustrations of pearls. 



In the fisheries section the various forms of nets, traps, weirs, pound 

 nets, seines, pots, dredges, tongs, etc., used in the capture of fresh- 

 water products are fully shown, also characteristic types of fishing craft 

 employed in the American fisheries, among them the swift New England 

 schooner, the Florida smacker, the Chesapeake Bay oyster pungy, the 

 shad boat of the North Carolina sounds, and the San Francisco market 

 steamer. In addition to these are numerous large photographs, por- 

 traying the methods adopted in the important commercial fisheries of 

 the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts and the Great Lakes, and a series 

 of crayon pictures illustrating the Alaskan fur-seal fishery. The fish- 

 eries of the United States are presented by States on a large chart. 



At the opening of the exposition the aquarium contained a large 

 variety of fresh -water and salt-water fishes, together with a number of 

 aquatic invertebrates. The fresh-water fishes comprise brook trout, 

 rainbow trout, black-spotted trout, yellow-fin trout, lake trout, steel- 

 head trout, large-mouth and small-mouth black bass, crappie, strawberry 

 bass,.sunfishes, and the characteristic native fishes of the Mississippi 

 Valley, including the largest obtainable specimens of sturgeon, catfish, 

 and paddlefish, several of the catfish weighing 40 pounds and over. 

 Aquatic reptiles are represented by living specimens of mud puppies, 

 terrapin, edible frogs, etc. These large specimens, with a number of 

 ornamental species like goldfish, tench, and golden ide, are displayed 

 in oval pools under the rotundas and prove a most attractive feature. 

 In the salt water tanks about 50 varieties of food, game, and bait fishes 

 of the Atlantic coast are represented by specimens of various ages, 

 including dogfish, skates, sea bass, kingfish, tautog, chogset, sculpin, 

 scup, toadfish, sea robin, pollock, cod, hake, and flounders. Lobsters, 

 crayfish, crabs, and various kinds of mollusks are also exhibited. 



As it was impracticable for the representative to remain in Omaha 

 after the opening of the exposition, the Commission is represented by 

 Mr. E. J. Conway, who has charge of the aquarium, and by Mr. W. P. 

 Sauerhoff. Mr. L. G. Harron was detailed from Washington to assist 

 in the installation of the aquarium, and rendered effective service during 

 the opening days of the exposition. 



The Commission is much indebted to the Union Tank Line Company, 

 of New York, for the loan of two tank cars for transporting salt water 

 from Woods Hole, Mass., to Omaha; also to the Michigan Central and 

 the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad companies for free trans- 

 portation, and to the Michigan Central Eailroad for the transportation 

 of car No. 4 with salt-water fishes over its line, and to the Missouri 

 Pacific for transporting all the cars of the Commission into the exposi- 

 tion grounds. 



