82 FISH AND GAME. 



were conducted at Wellfleet and other places, while obseivations were 

 made upc-n the clam farms of enterprising culturists at Barnstable, 

 Plymouth, Essex and Wellfleet, in order to note with what degree of suc- 

 cess practical clam culture was achieved. In the majority of cases the 

 results cf our preliminary experiments were corroborated. 



Pond Work. During the year 1912 the investigation of the 

 fresh-water ponds was continued in the same manner as outlined in the 

 report for 1911, which described in detail the manner in which the survey 

 was conducted. Therefore it is only necessary to state that the general 

 survey cf ponds continued for a second summer, piincipally in Bristol, 

 Norfolk, Essex, Middlesex, Worcester, Plymouth, Hampshire, Hampden 

 and Franklin counties. At the end of the summer, practically 800 ponds, 

 over 20 acres in area, had been examined, although a number proved to 

 be artificial, and therefore not State ponds. The work on the "type" 

 ponds was likewise continued. During the summer of 1913 the systematic 

 survey of State ponds was finished, and for the first time the Common- 

 wealth had a complete description of its inland waters to serve as a basis 

 for future development. 



Brooks. In 1914 an endeavor was made to catalogue the streams of 

 the Commonwealth, classifying them as suitable and unsuitable for stock- 

 ing with trout and other fish. Since it was impossible to make a personal 

 examination of every stream, the services of the deputy fish and game 

 commissicners were enlisted to look up certain facts conceining the streams 

 in their districts, and to report to the biologist, who then recorded the 

 natural conditions of these streams in two forms, so that by cress refer- 

 ences the essential facts concerning any stream could be readily accessible. 



1 . The streams were arranged alphabetically in a card catalogue system 

 for ready reference, each brock having two cards, one giving a description 

 cf the natural conditions, the other containing reccrds of the stocking with 

 various kinds of fish since 1901. 



2. The other method was recording by river systems; for example, all 

 streams flowing into the Housatonic being arranged in proper order undei 

 that river system. A general description of the Housatonic, with records 

 of its pollution (from the cases examined by this department), was fol- 

 lowed by an account of the various tributaries, beginning with the head- 

 waters. By inserting the various tributary ponds the entire water system 

 of the Commonwealth was described. It is hoped that later a moie 

 detailed study cf the pollution of the larger rivers and streams can be 

 made, with the idea cf eliminating all unnecessary pollution. 



The Fisheries of Buzzards Bay. During the summers of 1913 and 

 1914, in accordance with chapter 104 cf the Acts of 1913 and chapter 44 

 of the Acts of 1914, an investigation was conducted upon the fisheries of 

 Buzzards Bay, with particular reference to the quantities and species of 

 edible and nonedible fish, and to the effect of the present laws and re- 

 strictions in respect to taking these fish. 



The Alewife Fishery. Among the most popular of the fishes of New 





