REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 77 



the Life-Saving Service, enjoyed the assistance of the keepers of life- 

 saving stations at various points along the Atlantic coast, in the matter 

 of reporting the capture of whales and other large species of fishes. 

 As the result of this co-operation during the year a specimen of file- 

 fish, Alutera schcepffl, was obtained from Capt. Herbert M. Kuowles, 

 keeper of the life-saving station at Point Judith, lihode Island. Cap- 

 tain Knowles also forwarded two specimens of Epinephelus niveatus, 

 one of the smallest members of the family of " Groupers." This species 

 is rarely found so far north, but is common in the West Indies and 

 thence north to Florida. From Amasa Bowen, keeper of the life-saving 

 station at Atlantic City, New Jersey, was received a pigmy sperm-whale. 



Bureau of Engraving and Frinting.—Thvongli the courtesy of Hon. 

 E. O. Graves, Chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, a col- 

 lection consisting of one hundred and thirty-two stripped India proofs 

 of United States notes, certificates, and bonds was obtained. Two num- 

 bers of "Graphische Kunste," containing lithographsof paper money of 

 France, Germany, Italy, and other nations, were also received from Mr. 

 Graves. 



Revenue Marine Division. — During the year 1887 the assistance of the 

 Eevenue Marine Division, under the charge of Hon. Peter Bonnett, was 

 asked in the matter of procuring for the National Museum specimens 

 of "bidarkas," or Eskimo kyaks. Capt. M. A. Healy, then of the reve- 

 nue steamer Bear, was requested by Mr. Bonnett to obtain specimens, 

 if possible, on his next visit to Alaska. His efforts were successful, 

 and upon his return to San Francisco six "bidarkas" were placed in 

 the hands of the Alaska Commercial Company, with the request that 

 they be transmitted to Washington for the National Museum. 



WAR DEPARTMENT. 



Following the custom of previous years, the Secretary of War has 

 permitted the quartermasters of the Army to forward from their respect- 

 ive posts, boxes containing specimens of natural history intended for 

 the National Museum. This privilege has been of great benefit to the 

 Museum, and has resulted in the acquirement by the Museum of large 

 and valuable collections which, owing to the difficulty and expense ot 

 transportation by the ordinary means, would perhaps have been with- 

 held from transmission. 



By authority of the Secretary of W^ar, General S. V. Benet, Chief of 

 Ordnance, transmitted from the Ordnance Museum a plaster model of the 

 equestrian statue of General McPherson ; a section of an oak tree, cut 

 down by musket-balls near Spottsylvania Court-House, Virginia, and 

 presented to the War Department by General N. A. Miles, U. S. Army ; 

 a Mexican saddle and bridle, manufactured in Mexico for General Tre- 

 vino, commanding the northern line of Mexico, and presented by him 

 to General E. O. C. Ord, U. S. Army, by whom they were deposited in 

 the Ordnance Museum on March, 23, 1878. 



