40 EEPORT OF THE SECEETAEY. 



treatise upou the whale-fisliery and other similar interests on the Pacific 

 Ocean, and one that will doubtless be a standard of reference in the 

 future. 



The collections made by Captain Scammon for his studies in this de- 

 partment have been transmitted by him from time to time to the ^STational 

 Museum, where they constitute one of its most unique and important fea- 

 tures. Too mucli cannot be said in praise of gentlemen hke Captain 

 Scammon, who, in addition to the routine of their official work, labor 

 for the advancement of science, and especially where such labor can be 

 tui'ned to practical account as in the present instance. 



The United States steamer Tuscarora^ under Commander G.E. Bel- 

 knap, has been engaged during the summer in making .soundings in 

 the Pacific, from San Francisco toward the Aleutian Islands, with the 

 object of determining the proper line for a cable between the United 

 States and Japan; and numerous specimens of sea-bottom", with its 

 microscopic /aima, were secured, and have been recently transmitted by 

 Com. Ammen, of the Bureau of Navigation, in behalf of the Navy De- 

 partment, with the request that the Smithsonian Institution would have 

 them properly investigated and reported upon. 



From the main-land of California collections have been received from 

 Dr. J. C Cooper, of San Francisco, Mr. W. A. Cooper, of Santa Cruz, 

 and Dr. Hays, of Santa Barbara, consisting of specimens of birds, 

 mammals, «&c., of much interest. 



By far the most extensive collections received by the National Museum 

 during the year have been the result of Government expeditions in the 

 regions.west of the Missouri. 



The first of these in geographical order, beginning at the north, is that 

 of the survey of the boundary between the United States and the British 

 territory, prosecuted under the auspices of the State Department, 

 and under the direction of Mr. Archibald Campbell as commissioner. 

 The proper determination of this boundary, in which Great Britain 

 takes part, requires careful astronomical and geodetic work, this being 

 conducted by Major Twining in behalf of the United States Engi- 

 neer Department. The region traversed is one very little known, 

 and the commissioner, therefore, as was the case during his survey of 

 the western end of this line, took pains to secure the assistance of a 

 competent specialist to make the necessary examination in regard to 

 the natural-history resources of the country. - Dr. Elliott Coues, assist- 

 ant surgeon, United States Army, who has had much experience hi simi- 

 lar duties, and who occupies a high rank as a naturalist, was chosen 

 as surgeon to the scientific party, and succeeded, with the assistance 

 given him by the commissioner, in making a very large collection of 

 specimens in many branches of natural-history, and one especially rich 

 in the department of ornithology. 



The liue surveyed during the year extended for several hundred 



