578 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 1&6] 



Naturalists' Forceps, in German silver, for use in salt water. Made by 

 Codman & Sburtleff, Boston, Massachusetts. 

 United States Fish Commission. 



These forceps are intended only for the coarser work of sorting zoolog- 

 ical specimens, arranging them in jars, aquaria, &c, and were specially 

 designed for use in salt water, in which steel forceps, even when nickle- 

 plated, rapidly corrode. They are made of three sizes, 4, 6, and 12 

 inches long respectively. 



Copper Tanks. Two four-gallon Agassiz tanks and one eight-gallon 

 tank, improved pattern, in transportation box. 

 United States Fish Commission. 



The tanks used by the United States Fish Commission and the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the storage 

 and transportation of large . alcoholic specimens, are made in four 

 sizes of heavy tinned copper. They are rectangular in shape, and three 

 of them constitute a series, the fourth being an odd size. They are 

 furnished with two styles of covers. The larger tank of the series 

 measures 19 inches long by 13 inches wide by 14 inches high, outside, 

 and has a capacity of about 16 gallons. The mouth is round, and 10 

 inches broad, with a brass rim having a screw thread on the inner side. 

 The cover is of tinned copper, and is also bounded with a brass rim 

 having a screw thread to fit that of the mouth. The rim overlaps at 

 the edges a sufficient distance to cover a rubber washer, by means of 

 which the mouth is made tight by screwing down the cover. There is 

 an arrangement on the top of the cover for the attachment of a handle 

 or wrench. 



The second and third tanks of the series have the same height as 

 the above, but the former is only one-half and the latter one-fourth the 

 other dimensions, and they have capacities, therefore, of 8 and 4 gallons 

 respectively. The mouth of the 8-gallon tank measures 8 inches across, 

 and that of the 4-gallon 4 inches across. For holding and protecting 

 these tanks, especially during transportation, an uniform size of box is 

 used, which measures on the outside 21£ inches long, 15^ inches wide, 

 and 17£ inches high, and is strengthened with broad cleats. The cover 

 is attached by means of iron hinges, and fastens with a hasp and pad- 

 lock. The odd tank is of an elongate shape, and was specially designed 

 for holding fish. It measures 23 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 14 

 inches high, and will hold about 12 gallons of alcohol. The mouth is 

 about 6 inches in diameter. 



The style of cover above described was devised by Professor Agassiz, 

 after whom the tanks furnished with it have been named the " Agassiz 

 tanks." A new style of cover has been recently constructed for the 

 United States Fish Commission. It is of brass, tinned on the inside, 

 and is cast in one piece. On one side it is strongly hinged to the top of 

 the tank, and on the other has a projection with a screw hole, through 



