REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHES IN THE U. S. NATIONAL 



MUSEUM, 1888. 



By Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, Honorarij Curator, 



Early in the year tbe curator was ordered by the Commissioner of 

 Fisheries to investigate and report upon the fishes of Great Egg Har- 

 bor Bay, New Jersey, and accordingly left Washington early in July 

 (1887) for that purpose. The work was done under the auspices of the 

 U. S. Fish Commission, and the report upon the same made to the Com- 

 missioner. After the curator's return to Washington, considerable time 

 was consumed in the preparation of a paper for publication upon the 

 results of this expedition. 



An accumulation of correspondence pertaining to this department 

 was taken up and disposed of. During the period from October (1887) to 

 April (1888) many new forms were described, chiefly of deep-sea fishes. 

 These descriptions have not been published as yet. The descriptions 

 of inland species have, as a rule, however, been promptly printed in the 

 Proceedings. 



The collections of fishes in the main hall of the Smithsonian were re- 

 moved to the basement, and those belonging in the fish hall proper were 

 returned to their places after the fire-proofing had been completed. 

 The removal of collections, especially alcoholics, caused much annoy- 

 ance and work; labels were destroyed, alcohol spilled, and jars some- 

 times broken, invohing much loss of time and often a pretty general 

 re-arrangement of the collections. The contents of ray office were 

 moved back into the old quarters from the Museum. 

 . I was ordered to join the Grampus in her southern mackerel fishery 

 investigations, which occupied my time from May 10 to June 15, 1888, 

 Immediately after my return I began to arrange materials for a report 

 on this cruise, based on the specimens which were transferred to tlie 

 National Museum. 



The first number in the register for the year is 39,119, and the last 

 39,568. 



About 1,350 specimens have been entered in the catalogue during 

 the year. These specimens have for the most part been placed in bot- 

 tles, after having been identified and reported upon, labeled and put 

 in their proper places. 



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