section a. 



INTROD UCTION 



Scientific investigations with reference to aquatic life have always received liberal 

 support and encouragement in the United States, alike from National, State, arid private 

 organizations, and individuals of wealth. With its long stretches of sea-coast, facing 

 the two great oceans, and extending from near the tropics far beyond the Arctic Circle, 

 and with its many large river systems and innumerable inland lakes, some more de- 

 serving of the name of inland seas, this country possesses within its own domains 

 abundant materials for the study of nearly every class of aquatic phenomena, and of 

 nearly all the more important groups of aquatic animals and plants. Since early times 

 these subjects have furnished interesting problems of research to American students 

 of natural history, who, proportionately with the unparalleled growth of the couutry, 

 have rapidly increased in numbers, and now constitute a large working force. 



In consonance with this increase has been the advancement made in our knowledge 

 of the aquatic fauna and flora of the country, which are to-day quite well made out 

 as regards their more characteristic features, notwithstanding that much of the 

 information we have regarding them is exceedingly superficial. Not less interesting 

 in its way has been the development of methods of research, especially during late 

 years, in connection with marine explorations. 



The greater portion of the scientific work accomplished, aside from purely anatomical 

 and physiological studies, has been subsidiary to explorations undertaken for practical 

 purposes, and a history of such investigations involves an account of many important 

 industrial and commercial surveys. Exploring parties have seldom been organized 

 for work, at home or abroad, without including one or more naturalists in the corps, 

 and hence nearly all important explorations, of whatever character, have contributed 

 in greater or less proportion to our knowledge of aquatic forms of life and the condi- 

 tions under which they live. 



As in other countries, governmental organizations, through the liberal means gen- 

 erally at their disposal, have accomplished the greatest results. State surveys and 

 fishery commissions have also performed a good work, and private expeditions and 

 societies have added their share. 



The United States National Museum, at Washington, established in 1846, is the re- 

 pository for all scientific collections obtained by national explorations ; and the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, although substantially independent in its organization, holds close 

 relationship with the Government as an advisory board in scientific matters, and as 

 the custodian of the National Museum. The Smithsonian Institution, since its foun- 

 dation in 1846, has therefore exerted a powerful influence in regard to American scien- 

 tific research, and has planned and generally supplied the equipments for natural 

 history collecting to nearly all Government expeditions, as well as to many private 

 surveys and individuals working wholly or in part under its direction. 



Most of the national surveys hitherto undertaken have been limited to the territory 

 of the United States and the adjacent waters, although many interesting foreign ex- 

 plorations have been carried on by the Navy Department, the Department of State, 

 and private individuals and organizations. Aside from private enterprises, the sur- 

 veys of the interior of the United States have been mainly conducted under the Depart- 

 ments of War, and of the Interior the United States Fish Commission and the several 

 2444— Bull. 27—33 513 



