The Evening critic., 1883-02-27
A SPLENDID EXHIBIT
OF the Fishes and Fish Industry of
America.

America.
A very novel and attractive sight was
presented at the National Museum last
evening, the building being brilliantly IL
Illuminated with electric lights, and several
hundred prominent persons being present,
by invitation, to witness an exhibition of
the contributions Of the United States Fish
Commission to the international Fish Ex-
The collection Is wonderfully complete
and the commission has accomplished tho
difficult object of
Illustrating in the Most Satisfactory
Manner
not only every species and variety of fish
that frequent American waters, but also
every device for their capture, transporta-
tion, preparation, preservation and propa-
cation. The collection was commenced on
the 1st of last July, and has occupied not
quite eight months, the work of boxing up
commencing to-day. When ready for
transportation the boxes will weigh some
750 tons, and the freight will cost about
$4,000.
The immense collection occupied several
of the large halls of the museum, and
among the most attractive features was o
collection of several thousand large photo
graphs and crayon drawings, illustrating
the methods of fishing for and preparing
for market various classes of fishes, and il
lustrating every feature of the cod, men
haden, mackercl and shad fisheries.
A large number oflivo fishes were on OK
hibition and this collection was supple
mented by hundreds of casts and drawings,
life-sizc and in natural colors, showing
Every Species of American Fish
from the tiniest varieties to good sized
sperm whale.
The shell fish and marine wonders and
curiosites were equally well represented
real specimens being shown wherever il
was practicable and casts in other instances
The infinite variety of oysters and oys
ter shells also formed an attractive feature.
A complete propagatory tank and white
fish hatchery and the various stages of sal
mon Matching, from the spawning to the
canning of the fish for market, were novel
| and interesting exhibits.
Several hundred perfect models of the
vessels used in various parts of the country
for fishing purposes were generally ad
| mired and were of striking interest and &C
curacy.
Life.Size Models
| of men engaged in catching or cleaning
| fish were distributed at numerous point
| and were very perfect. Extensive collec
! tions of artificial flies and bait of every
| kind, of lines, rods, hooks, reels and every
part of the apparatus of fisherman wa
| supplemented by exhibits of the furniture
medical chests, clothing, utensils, device
for amusement, etc, OF the American fish
erman afloat and ON shore. Models of th,
| various styles of fshermen's huts and tent
were numerous
| Among the important branches of the
exhibition were the whale-fshing and tn,
| life-saving exhibits, and in both the imple
ments, apparatus and processes were mi
nutely and accurately represented. In tn,
| whale-fishing exhibit models of every clas
| of whaling vessel and boat were exhibited
as were also all the designs of harpoons ant
weapons, the costumes of the men engaged
in the industry, etc. In the life-savinl
service exhibit the life-saving stations, will
their occupants and devices, were illus
trated, and the life-saving implements
signals, clothing, ETC., were exhibited.
To complete the collection, the various
preparations of canned and potted fish wer
shown as well as an infinite variety O
curiosities such rs large stones, watches
etc, taken from the stomachs of fishes an
the identical poker hand that was recentl
found in the stomach of Goldfish. The OK
hibition
Cannot he Praised Too Highly
for its completeness, perfection and az
curacy of arrangement and classification
and while it alone is more extensive tha
the entire Berlin exposition, every featur
and detail is interesting and instructive
and the whole is almost as attractive fror
an artistic standpoint as for its unequale
scientific value and accuracy.