[5] 



FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 517 



and naturalists, appointed on the recommendation of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 One of the most indefatigable collectors was Mr. John Xantus, who, prior to his ap- 

 pointment on the Coast Survey, spent over a year, from the summer of 1857 to the 

 fall of 1858, at Fort Tejon, California, in making a complete collection of the zoology of 

 that region. In April, 1859, he went as tidal observer to Cape Saint Lucas, Lower Cali- 

 fornia, where he remained until 1861, keeping up, during the entire period of his stay, 

 the most active field work in all branches of zoology, marine fishes and invertebrates 

 constituting a very important feature of his collections, which were as nearly exhaust- 

 ive of the fauna, as was possible in two years' time. His operations extended some 

 distance up both the gulf and ocean sides of the peninsula of Lower California, and 

 to Mazatlan, in Mexico. His notes were very full and comprehensive, and his collec- 

 tions were all received at Washiugton in the best of condition. In 1862, as an agent 

 of the State Department, he visited Manzanillo, Western Mexico, and making that 

 place and Colimahis headquaters, he collected in all directions, but especially toWard 

 the interior mountainous region, obtaining most valuable results regarding the dis- 

 tribution of animals, including both fresh-water fishes and mollusks. 



During 1853-55, Mr. R. D. Cutts, Assistant on the Coast Survey, then surveying on 

 the coast of California, made valuable collections of fishes for the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, and from 1854 to 1855, Lieutenant W. P. Trowbridge, United States Army, 

 tidal observe!', collected in the same region, sending to Washington a very large as- 

 sortment of marine fishes and invertebrates. From 1854 to 1859, Dr. Gustavus Wur- 

 demann, of the Coast Survey, devoted his spare intervals of time to collecting marine 

 animals along the coast of the Southern States, from Louisiana to South Carolina, and 

 the collections supplied by him were the most complete of any obtained from that 

 region up to the time of his death, in 1859. 



Since 1860, numerous small collections have been received, from time to time, from 

 tidal observers and other employe's of the Coast Survey, aside from the dredging ex- 

 plorations above described. 



In this connection may be mentioned the incidental collections made since 1881 by 

 Lieutenant Henry C. Nichols, United States Navy, in command of the Coast Survey 

 steamer " Hassler," on the west coast of North America, from Alaska to Mexico and 

 the Gulf of California. The collections received from Lieutenant Nichols at numerous 

 intervals have contained many interesting discoveries both among fishes and inver- 

 tebrates. 



The United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries was established in 1871, in accord- 

 ance with a joint resolution of Congress, authorizing the appointment of a commissioner 

 of fish and fisheries, whose duties were defined as follows: "To prosecute investiga- 

 tions on the subject (of the diminution of valuable fishes), with the view of ascertain- 

 ing whether any and what diminution in the number of food-fishes of the coast and 

 the lakes of the United States has taken place ; and, if so, to what causes the same is 

 due; and also whether any and what protective, prohibitory, or precautionary meas- 

 ures should be adopted in the premises, and to report upon the same to Congress." 

 The resolution further specified that the commissioner to be appointed should be a 

 civil officer of the Government, of proved scientific and practical acquaintance with 

 the fishes of the coast. Professor Spencer F. Baird, at that time assistant secretary 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, received the appointment, and entered at once upon 

 his duties. 



The plan of work adopted included "the systematic investigation of the waters of 

 the United States aud the biological and physical problems which they present; the 

 investigation of the methods of fisheries, past and present, and the statistics of pro- 

 duction and commerce of fishery products; and the introduction and multiplication 

 of useful food-fishes, especially in waters under the jurisdiction of the General Gov- 

 ernment." We need consider here only that phase of the Fish Commission which re- 

 lates to the scientific investigation of the waters. 



The newly-appointed Commissioner, with a just appreciation of the bearing which 



