REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. CYII 
Museum, where they have been placed in the hands of the following 
persons for study: The mammals, to F. W. True; birds, to Robert 
Ridgeway and L. Stejneger; bird’s eggs, to Capt. Bendire; reptiles and 
•batracliiaus, to Prof. E. D. Cope; skeletons, to F. A. Lucas; insects, to 
L. O. Howard ; plants, to Dr. George Vasey; archraologi cal specimens, 
to Thomas Wilson. 
The voyage of the Albatross , on which this material was obtained, 
offered exceptional advantages for scientific observations, which were 
fully utilized, and the reports upon the different subjects will form one 
of the most important series of contributions yet resulting from any of 
the Government expeditions. The opportunity afforded was incidental 
to the transfer of the steamer Albatross to the Pacific coast, and was 
planned by Prof. Baird shortly before his death. The reports will be 
published mainly in the Proceedings of the National Museum. 
Attention is directed to the exceptional advantages for the study of 
salt and fresh water animals now afforded by the large series of aquaria 
recently established at the Central Station in Washington under the 
immediate direction of the Commissioner. These facilities will be ap- 
preciated especially by the student of marine zoology, and as a means 
of popular education in respect to the habits of living fishes they will 
also serve an important purpose. 
At the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition, held during the summer of 
1888 , the opportunity was taken to illustrate the methods of work per- 
taining to this division and some of the results of its investigations. 
The steamers A Ibatross and Fish Haivk and the schooner Grampus were 
represented by means of models and photographs, and the appliances 
for marine research chiefly by the instruments themselves. The fol- 
lowing material was also exhibited: A relief model of the great offshore 
fishing banks of Eastern North America; series of dried and alcoholic 
specimens to show the fauna of the marine fishing- grounds, the character 
of the ocean bottom, the food of pelagic fishes, and the principal eco- 
nomic fishes and marine invertebrates; living specimens of the food- 
fishes of the Ohio Valley kept in aquaria; series of microscopic prepara- 
tions illustrating the development of several of the food-fishes now being 
propagated by the Fish Commission, and the biology of many other 
fishes and invertebrates; and the publications relating to the scientific 
inquiries of the Fish Commission. 
