REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 



A.— GENEEAL CONSIDEEATIONS. 



1. — INTRODUCTOEY REMARKS. 



The present volume (for 1883) constitutes the eleventh of the series 

 of annual reports of the work of the United States Fish Commission as 

 ordered by Congress, and is intended to give an account of the proceed- 

 ings of the Commission in its various divisions. 



With the completion of the buildings at Wood's Holl the Commission 

 hopes to be ready to carry out, on such scale as may be authorized by 

 Congress, the various functions intrusted to it. 



With the acquisition, with the means provided by Congress, of steam- 

 ers capable of carrying on work in the ocean, as well as in the interior 

 waters, the possibilities of usefulness have become greatly extended, 

 and much has been attempted as well as accomplished. In addition to 

 the regular work of the Commission, it has become possible to do a 

 great deal for the advancement of science in general, especially by pros- 

 ecuting researches into the general natural history of the aquatic a.ni- 

 mals and plants, either by persons officially connected with the Com- 

 mission or by specialists to whom the facilities of the service are ex- 

 tended in the way of the use of boats, stations, and material. 



The Commission has also made very large collections of aquatic ani- 

 mals, especially of fishes, shells, corals, crustaceans, starfishes, &c., 

 and after submitting them to a careful investigation for monographic 

 research, and setting aside a full series for the National Museum, the 

 remainder has been made up into well identified and labeled sets for 

 distribution to colleges, academies, and other institutions of learning 

 throughout the United States. The educational advantages of this last 

 measure have proved to be of the utmost value, and are thoroughly ap- 

 preciated by teachers throiighout the country. Applications for these 

 sets are being continually received, and several hundreds of them have 

 already been supplied, a number of persons being occupied for a good 

 part of their time in preparing to meet additional calls. There is noth- 

 ing that so much increases the interest in natural history as the op- 

 portunity of examining actual specimens of rare and usually unpro- 

 curable species, instead of depending upon descriptions or drawings ; 

 and as the possibility of obtaining these series becomes the better known, 

 H. Mis. 67 ii xvu 



