Of the incorrect apparatus found, a large proportion discriminated against the consumer, and consequently furnished the strongest argument for the establishment of inspection services by the States. The investigation has attracted the widest attention and has resulted in either the enactment by the States of laws to render efficient the old weights and measures laws or the enactment of entirely new ones.

Altogether, the legislatures of 26 States in different parts of the Union have acted upon the information obtained by the Bureau, and others are preparing to take up the matter at the next meeting of their legislatures.

BUREAU OF FISHERIES.

FISH CULTURE.

The fish-cultural efforts of the Bureau were directed chiefly toward the development of present resources and the increase of the output by extension of operations over a wider territory in fields contiguous to existing stations. One new permanent station was added to the existing 36 of this class, the establishment at Homer, Minn., being completed and opened at the beginning of the year. The cultivation of the buffalo fish, one of the most important food fishes of the Mississippi Valley, and not hitherto propagated artificially, was successfully undertaken, and investigations were instituted at the Homer Station with a view to propagating the shovel-nose sturgeon, the spoonbill, the catfishes, and other heretofore uncultivated species of that region.

The possibilities of fish-cultural work are practically unlimited, being gauged only by the funds and experienced men available for opening up new fields. This is particularly true with reference to the Pacific coast salmons, the trouts of the Rocky Mountains, the commercial fishes of the Great Lakes, and most of the anadromous and marine species of the Atlantic coast.

The year's output of fish and fish eggs totaled more than three and one-half billion. Of these, 558,000,000 were eggs, over 3,000,000,000 were fry, and nearly 15,000,000 were fish of fingerling, yearling, or adult size. The output was nearly 13 per cent greater than in 1910, this showing being largely accounted for by the adoption of new methods and the utilization of improved appliances, resulting in increased efficiency and diminished expense. The species whose larger numbers constitute the total increase for this year are the chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon, steelhead trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, grayling, pike perch, yellow perch, white perch, small-mouth black bass, buffalo fish, pollock, haddock, and lobster. The output of Atlantic salmon was double that of any previous year.

The stocking of depleted public waters and private ponds, lakes, and streams is a feature of the Bureau's work which grows yearly in interest to the public, the number of applications for fish for such purposes numbering 10,393 this year. Over half of these applications were for black basses, crappies, sunfishes, and catfishes for stocking artificial ponds on farms, there being widespread realization that private fish ponds can be made a valuable adjunct to farming-as a food supply for home consumption and as a source of income.

BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS.

The oyster was again the subject of major activities. The survey of the natural oyster beds of Delaware, in progress at the beginning of the fiscal year, was concluded and its results reported, to show the dangers threatening an important industry and to serve as a basis for reforms which it is hoped will be instituted by the State. Immediately upon the conclusion of this work in Delaware similar surveys were undertaken in Alabama and Mississippi, at the request of those States, and reports thereon are in course of preparation.

During the latter part of the year special study was given to several destructive enemies of the oyster, in the effort to develop measures which will guard planted oyster beds against such inroads.

The systematic investigation of streams in the Mississippi Valley with reference to their pearl-mussel resources was continued, and the trained personnel of the station at Fairport, Iowa, is engaged in the collection of data to aid in the formulation of fishing laws which will adequately protect the mussels. This station has also been engaged in propagating and distributing mussels in the waters in its vicinity.

Investigations of a tumorous disease in cultivated fishes which extensively affects Salmonidæ, especially trout raised under domestication, have been conducted almost continuously throughout the year. Though results are inconclusive as yet, it seems probable that this work will result in a very considerable saving to the Bureau by making possible a reduction of the present mortality among artificially hatched trouts and salmons. In respect to the possible relationship of the disease to analagous affections of human beings, the investigations have progressed satisfactorily, but permit of no conclusive statement at this time.

The effects of industrial wastes upon fishes, a subject important from the viewpoint of many industries other than the fisheries, has received considerable attention in the investigation of several fish epidemics and numerous experiments with various kinds of pollutions. Investigations of lakes and rivers in several States have been continued with profitable results, notably in the work done in cooperation with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. These investigations include lakes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Idaho, and a somewhat similar procedure has been undertaken in examination of the Illinois River with respect to its pollution and biological changes which have resulted from the diversion of the flow of Chicago River.

The biological laboratories at Woods Hole, Mass., and Beaufort, N. C., have been open as usual, and profitable researches have been conducted both by the special investigators in the service of the Bureau and the independent workers from various institutions of learning.

Interesting data have been gathered concerning the salmon of the Pacific coast which will be utilized in the study of development and age of these fish as recorded in scale structure. The results thus far obtained demonstrate conclusively that this study will be the means of determining the long unsolved question of the salmon's age at maturity.

A comprehensive survey of the Canal Zone, undertaken by the Smithsonian Institution in cooperation with other scientific bureaus, was participated in by the Bureau of Fisheries, and resulted in extensive collections of fresh-water fishes, reptiles, and batrachians. The work may be extended to salt water during the ensuing year.

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES.

The work of collecting statistics of the oyster fisheries of the Atlantic coast and of the shad fisheries of the South Atlantic States and some other sections, which was begun in the spring of 1910, was continued during the fiscal year 1911 and is still in progress.

Statistics of the vessel fisheries of Boston and Gloucester were collected by the local agents, as usual, and the returns have been published as monthly and annual bulletins and distributed to the trade in various parts of the country. There were landed in 1910 a total of 6,559 trips, comprising 181,734,272 pounds of fish, with a value to the fishermen of $4,833,341. Compared with the previous year, there was an increase of 253 trips and of 8,632,048 pounds in the quantity and $216,897 in the value of the fish landed.

Of the fishery products landed at Boston and Gloucester by American fishing vessels during the year 64.53 per cent of the quantity and 59.84 per cent of the value were from fishing grounds lying off the coast of the United States. About 22 per cent of the quantity and 26 per cent of the value were from fishing banks off the coast of the Canadian Provinces, and 13.33 per cent of the quantity and 13.81 per cent of the value were from grounds off the coast of Newfoundland. The Newfoundland herring fishery furnished 10.61 per cent of the quantity and 8.44 per cent of the value of the products of the vessel fisheries of these ports.

An investigation of the fishing grounds of Alaska was begun in May, 1911, and will occupy several months. The steamer Albatross was detailed for the work and provided with fishermen and such equipment as would be necessary in successfully conducting experiments for the purpose of determining the resources of the grounds. located and surveyed by the ship. The inquiry has for its main object the discovery of new halibut fishing grounds. The Pacific halibut fishery was reported to have been more extensive and successful in 1910 than in any previous year of its history, the catch of the

entire coast being over 53 million pounds, of which about 30 million pounds were handled at ports on Puget Sound. There is urgent demand for new sources of supply.

ALASKA SALMON SERVICE.

The annual inspection of the salmon fisheries of Alaska in 1910 showed a very general observance of the law, the result of vigilant enforcement by the agents for several years past. A growing sentiment was noted also against waste and needless destruction, especially with reference to the manufacture of fertilizer from fish which would otherwise be used as food.

The statistical canvass showed a total quantity of fishery products for the calendar year 1910 of 214,536,433 pounds, valued at $13,259,859, an increase of 12,553,195 pounds and $2,078,471 over 1909. The total investment, exclusive of cash capital ($8,604,437), was $12,106,985, or $2,225,303 more than in 1909, and nearly all forms of apparatus likewise show increases over the previous year. The number of persons engaged was 15,620, or 3,032 more than in 1909, and it is gratifying to note that this increase when analyzed proves to be chiefly of whites and Indians, most of them permanent residents of Alaska.

The run of salmon was good in all sections except western Alaska. The total catch was 33,679,254 salmon of all species, amounting to 172,716,014 pounds. Of this quantity 19,202,776 fish, or 96,013,880 pounds, were the sockeye or red salmon. The total salmon catch for 1910 compared with 1909 shows, however, a decrease of 1,013,354 fish, or 2,312,520 pounds. The number of salmon canneries operated was 52. The business of mild-curing salmon underwent a marked development during the year, as did also the shipping of fresh salmon to Puget Sound ports.

The minor fisheries, of which the halibut is most important, all showed slight development. The number of people engaged in the halibut fishery was 829, and the catch amounted to 21,579,289 pounds, valued at $808,910, as compared with 5,189,924 pounds, valued at $195,529, in 1909. The herring fishery yielded $115,765, and the cod fishery $63,443.

FUR-SEAL SERVICE.

The beginning of the fiscal year 1911 found the sealing season on the Pribilof Islands in progress under immediate direction of the fur-seal agents of the Bureau of Fisheries. The lease of the North American Commercial Co. having expired May 1, 1910, and the leasing system having been discontinued, the Government had purchased from the former lessee the native dwellings, the storehouses,