REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 37 



purpose are in the process of being made up into sets for distribution 

 to colleges and academies throughout the country. No greater aid can 

 be given to the cause of scientific education than to furnish such series 

 as these ; and accompanied as they will be by the report of the com- 

 mission, iu which these objects are fully and systematically described, 

 they will be much sought after by institutions such as those referred to. 



As in previous years, the facilities of the commission were eagerly 

 embraced by scientific specialists, who spent a greater or less time with 

 the expedition. Among these may be mentioned Mr. G. Brown Goode 

 and Professor Rice, of Wesleyan University, Middletown ; Professor 

 J. E. Todd, of Taber College, Iowa; Professor Nelson, of Delaware Col- 

 lege, Ohio ; Dr. P. P. Carpenter, of Montreal ; Mr. S. J. Smith and Mr. 

 Thatcher, of Yale College, and many others on the United States steamer 

 Blue Light, furnished by the Navy Department. 



In additiou to the collections made at Peak's Island, many interesting 

 objects were secured under the commissioner's direction, by Dr. A. S. 

 Packard, on the United States steamer Bache, which the superintendent 

 of the coast-survey kindly supplied to the commission for a month, for 

 the purpose of deep-sea exploration at points of the New England coast 

 too remote for the services of the Blue Light. Mr. Vinal N. Edwards, 

 an agent of the commission, at Wood's Hole, Massachusetts, also secured 

 great numbers of fishes, several of them previously unknown to our 

 waters. 



Other collections of the coast-fishes of great interest were furnished 

 by Messrs. Middleton, Carman & Co., of New York, including a species 

 of perch, Promicrops guasu, taken in Saint John's River in Florida, 

 weighing 750 pounds. A series of the Virginia coast-fishes was also 

 received from Mr. Sibley, of Norfolk. 



Mr. Samuel Powel of Newport, R. I., furnished some very rare species 

 of fishes from Narragansett Bay. Others from Staten Island have been 

 presented by Mr. Charles Copley. 



In the completion ©f the account of collections received from the east- 

 ern coast of North America, we may mention specimens of the salmon 

 family, as salmon, salmon-trout, and wiiite-fish, from the United States 

 salmon-hatching establishment, under the charge of Chas. G. Atkins of 

 Bucksport, Me.; from E. M. Stilwell, fish commissioner of Maine; from 

 Mr. J. B. Blossom, of Brooklyn ; from Mr. Rutter of Frederickton, New 

 Brunswick ; and of capelin, from Mr. Delaney of Newfoundland. Of even 

 greater interest than any of these, however, were specimens of a gigantic 

 cuttle-fish, presented by Archibald Munn, of Harbor Grace, Newfound- 

 land. For some years past there have been traditions of the occurrence 

 of giant cuttle-fish, or so called " devil-fish," on our eastern coast, although 

 the stories communicated in regard to them have been considered rather 

 fabulous. During the year 1873, however, several well-authenticated cases 

 have occurred, and iu one instance an animal of this family attacked a 

 fishing-boat by throwing two of its arms across it, which, however, the 



