EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



the Egyptian army, an interesting chart of the fluctuations of the Nile, 

 and from the author, Auguste Mariette Bey, the fac-siniiles of the Egyp- 

 tian papyrus in the museum of Boulaq, prepared under the auspices of 

 S. A. Ismail Pacha, Khedive of Egypt. These fac-similes occupy forty- 

 four folio-plates, on tinted paper, representing in color and form the pres- 

 ent appearance of the papyrus. 



Among tbe donations to the library should also be mentioned a col- 

 lection of two thousand drawings of fishes, including copies of all known 

 engravings of fishes published up to 1834, made by Dr. A. Eeuss, for- 

 merly of Germany, but now of Belleville, Illinois. 



WORK DONE IN THE INSTITUTION AND IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER 



ESTABLISHMENTS. 



The Secretary, from the first organization of the Light-House Board, 

 has been one of its members, and has acted as chairman of the com- 

 mittee on experiments. In this capacity he has made in past years an 

 extended series of investigations relative to different materials of illu- 

 mination, also investigations relative to different instruments proposed 

 for fog-signals, besides reporting on a large number of propositions made 

 to the board with the idea of improving the aids to navigation. During 

 the last year he continued the investigations in regard to fog-signals, 

 and for this purpose spent his last summer's vacation on the coast of 

 Maine. For these services he receives no other compensation than ten 

 cents a mile as traveling expenses. The work is one, however, in which 

 he takes great interest, and it has been to him a source of diversity of 

 employment and a means of improved health. 



He has, during the past year, upon the retirement of Admiral Shu- 

 brick, been elected chairman of the board. 



The Secretary is also one of the visitors to the Government Hospital 

 for the Insane, and as President of the National Academy of Sciences 

 directed the preparation of the instructions for scientific observations 

 for Captain HalPs arctic exploration. In addition to the foregoing, the 

 Government placed the direction of the exploration of Major Powell in 

 charge of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Appropriations have been made at the last two sessions of Congress 

 for investigations, under the direction of Professor Baird, of this Institu- 

 tion, relative to the alleged decrease of food-fishes on our coasts. To this 

 at the last session was added an appropriation for stocking the rivers 

 and lakes in the United States with useful fishes. These investigations 

 have occupied all the time and attention he could spare from his duties 

 in connection with the Smithsonian Institution. 



Besides the prominent subjects of immediate inquiry, there were quite 

 a number of collateral matters bearing on the general questions, which 

 were prosecuted at the same time, and which have in themselves much 

 scientific interest. His headquarters for the season were fixed at East- 

 port, on the Bay of Fundy ; and, with Professor Verrill to take charge of the 



