54 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
years was fully substantiated, and that it had been much more rapid 
since the year 1865. 
In furtherance of his great work, the resources of the Smithsonian 
Institution were freely placed at the disposal of the Commissioner; 
and, in the same report, he gratefully acknowledges this hearty co¬ 
operation by saying: “I am indebted to Professor Henry for per¬ 
mission to use the extensive collection of apparatus belonging to the 
Smithsonian Institution, in the way of nets, dredges, tanks, &c., and 
thus saving the considerable outlay which would otherwise have been 
necessary.” 
The new studies into the life-history of the principal shore 
fishes,—into the character and range of their enemies, and into 
their appropriate means of subsistence, requisite to an intelligent 
consideration of the conditions most favorable to their propaga¬ 
tion,—involved investigations embracing the entire marine fauna 
of the coast, vertebrate and invertebrate. These extensive and 
varied researches necessarily demanded the aid of skilled assist¬ 
ants—of a corps of eminent specialists in marine biology, and a 
corresponding division of labor. 
The results of these investigations have been given to the world 
in hundreds of memoirs, published in the Reports and Bulletins of 
the Commission, and in the Proceedings and Bulletins of the National 
Museum. And it is quite within bounds to say that in importance, 
in variety, and in extent of original information thus communicated, 
no such quantity of contribution to our knowledge of zoology has 
ever emanated from any other organization within the same in¬ 
terval of time. Many species of fishes entirely new to science have 
been discovered and carefully described; and the number of in¬ 
vertebrate forms known to inhabit the waters explored, has prob¬ 
ably been fully doubled. 
It was found, from the abundance of the lower forms of life, that 
the decline of the useful fishes had not resulted from any lack of 
their accustomed food-supply; nor had it resulted apparently from 
any less favorable conditions of environment, nor from the preva¬ 
lence of any epidemic diseases. It was therefore a consequence of 
excess in their destruction. 
Among all the ravages of predaceous fishes it was found that the 
“bluefish” was the most voracious and devastating pirate of the 
coast. In the report it is stated: “ Sometimes among a school of 
herring or menhaden thousands of bluefish will be seen biting off 
