The United States Exploring Expedition led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes was an important step in the country's evolution into an international scientific power. The crew, composed of naval and civilian personnel, gathered a huge Museum of Natural History collection. The need for a museum to house this collection and others led to a provision for a museum in the founding legislation for the Smithsonian.

This illustration of Lysodontis stellatia, a sea eel, was probably drawn by one of the artists aboard ship, either Alfred T. Agate or Joseph Drayton.