Richard Rathbun. 761 



tributions to the reports of the U. S. Commission of Fish 

 and Fisheries from 1888-1896 respecting food fishes and 

 the fishing grounds. That he could also write in a popu- 

 lar manner is shown by his articles on the "Giant 

 Squid," 39 and "The United States Fish Commission." 40 



Rathbun 's publications by no means represent his 

 major service to the Fish Commission, for his duties as 

 chief executive officer and in charge of the scientific work 

 of the Commission, in addition to several terms as acting- 

 commissioner, gave him the opportunity, for which he 

 was so well fitted, of devising and directing the scientific 

 investigations of the entire staff. To his skillful man- 

 agement much of the practical success of the Commission 

 previous to 1896 is due. 



Very important services to economic zoology were ren- 

 dered by him in preparing the evidence for the case 

 of the United States in the Paris fur seal Tribunal, in 

 arranging for yearly surveys of the fur seal population 

 in the Bering Sea, and later as the United States repre- 

 sentative on the "Joint Commission with Great Britain 

 relative to the preservation of the fisheries in waters 

 contiguous to the United States and Canada." During 

 these years (1891-1896) the fisheries conditions were very 

 thoroughly investigated and an extended report pub- 

 lished by Congress. 41 



In 1896 Rathbun severed his connection with the Fish 

 Commission and entered upon the administrative service 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, of which he was appointed 

 Assistant Secretary early in 1897. His natural gener- 

 osity caused him to devote more and more of his time 

 and energies to his executive duties and from 1899, when 

 he was placed in charge of the National Museum, he had 

 little opportunity for original investigations. 



His later writings were mainly limited to his adminis- 

 trative reports of the National Museum 42 during the 

 years 1899 to 1917 in which he displayed great skill 

 in the forceful presentation of the details required. To 

 the building up and exhibition of the priceless collections 

 of this great national institution and to the encourage- 

 ment of its scientific research he gave his entire time and 

 thought for upwards of twenty years. 



His last publications relate to the culminating efforts 

 of his life — the great new natural history building of the 

 National Museum 43 and the national gallery of art, 44 



