Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-11-20

New Sar~tie. Di.sov~r~d-The Sam
ns~r " ork of Prof. 0aird's Party.
Ocean Fishes.

The scientific commission. at the hesd
ot which ) Prof Baird OF the Smithsonian
Institute Washington. has jus, finished
what may be called il field work for 1879 :
the Speetwell-tnc United States navy
steamer. used By the commission since its
cs'ah.i,hMcnt-has len the summers cruis-
Ing grounds, and Prof. Baird has returned
TO Washington To prepare and presen, his
report OF proceedings, aud the results OF
bis invesii:at This commission be. an
lis work la lssl. and It's nrst summer head
quarters WAS at Woods Hole, Vineyard
Sound being mat year included In It's ex-
aminaiions. In 1872, IL. headquarters was
AZ Eastport. Me. In 1873. at Portland. Ne. /:
To 1874. al Noank. Conn, In 1875, az Wood.
Hole again; 10 1876, the commission Was
not out. having all IL could attend 10 AT the
great centennial exhibition; in 1877. al
Salem. Mass. and Halifax, y s. In 1878 at
Gloucester; and the present year, Province
tOSn. In either of these years It's investi-
cations have been limited 10 a distance of
about twenty miles on either hand from
headquarters, aud from forty 10 eighty miles
al sea.
rh,s commission has for its object a
scientific survey of the ocean. correspond
my 10 that made by the United States
scientific corps In the Western Territories
on land. The coast survey and hydro
graphic department OF the United States
naval service make the ocean survey with
regard 10 souniIngs. character OF bottom,
and, 10 a certsin extent, currents aud tenn
perature, aud. In these departments this
commission does nothing except Incidental
ly. or in the way OF extending the inquiries
beyond the point where other branches Of
the service have left them. To the top
ra,.t,s al t,gn a,f.
concerning the ocean obtained by the naval
departments just now mentioned. Prot.
Baird's commission adds that OF lis animal
and geological features. IL discovers the
temperature and chemical composition Of
the ocean water, with especial reference to
lis quality OF saltness the mlnutest details
OF animal and vegetable life, and the re-
lations between the physical conditions Of
water and It's life the changes In animal
aud vegetable life as effected by the sea-
sons. and how and why it Is that one kind
of life is found to exist during a certain
part OF the year. and another and totally
dfere ut Kind perhaps during some other
portion. II aims to find out the relations be-
tween lower life and the fishes; why one
year mackerei, herring aud cod are found
In certain localities, and the next year per
haps other varieties in their place or no
conditions fishes spawn. and what circum-
stances affect them in their migration.
Especially does IL study the fishes 10 their
Industrial relations-to the wants aud con-
veniences of man; collecting statistics Of
American fisheries; the numbers Of each
kind OF fsh along the coast modes Of fish
Ing from the early times TO the present.
Each year the commission fixes its head
quarters in fishing community, and
gathers, little By little. from the fishermen,
their experience in all branches of their
business, and their traditions and historical
stores and lore as well.
OTHER WORK OF THE COMMISSION.
The early history Of our American
fisheries has never as yet been written. or
even an attempt TO record 1t made. In all
their methods and distinguishing features.
the fisheries and the fishermen have chang
ed entirely since the country was settled.
and the various processes, and the marks
which characterized those changes. are of
interest TO every one who cares for accurate
knowledge OF this country's affairs and
experience.
This commission is also assisting the
census bureau. aud getting ready full
statistics of the fisheries for the census re-
port OF 1880. 10 this department the same
rigid detail has been observed as in all 9TH
ers Of the census proceedings. All the an
swers to questions have been given under
oath, and with a particularly and exactness
never before approached In this country.
The statistical information. or what pur-
ported to be such. in former censns reports.
has always been the merest nonsense For
instance, the census of 1870 gave the catch
of mackerel for the country for the year
previous 10 figures as di.proportioned Ms 20
to 200. There are no statistics and no in
formstion OF this farcical class in the re-
ports of this commission.
WORK or THE PRESENT YEAR.
The results of the lsbors and investtRs-
tons Of this commission in past years have