.3 42 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



missions of their own appropriated sums for this purpose varying from 

 $1,000 to $10,000.* 



These figures will show sufficiently what pecuniary sacrifices the 

 United States have cheerfully made in the interest offish-culture; and 



we must now give some attention to the work of the Commission, which 

 shows very important results. 



In the first place i! inaugurated a systematic investigation of the 

 various rivers and water-courses of the United States, and of the 

 physico-biological laws and problems which govern and relate to the 

 life offish in these waters. In making this investigation the Commis- 

 sion did not eonline itself to th >se fish which are useful to man as food, 

 but considered its task from a broader and more generally scientific 

 point of view. 



It devoted its attention alike to all inhabitants of the water; it gath- 

 ered data for a natural history of all kinds offish; it learned to know 

 not only the fish themselves, but also their friends and enemies, their 

 food, and the dangers threatening their life. At the same time it gave 

 its attention to the food and the enemies of the various animals, both 

 useful and hurtful, which share the water with the fish. Nor did the 

 Commission fail to take note of the currents and their degree of swift- 

 ness, of the temperature of the water, and of many other physical con- 

 ditions which exercise an important influence on the life and growth 

 of most fish, aud which doubtless have a good deal to do with the peri- 

 odical migration which many kinds of fish undertake at certain seasons. + 



In various ways a large collection of different fish and other marine 

 animals was gathered, which formed an invaluable material for scien- 

 tific investigations. 



To aid the work of the Commission a steamship, the Albatross, was 

 built, and which was first used by the Commission for studying the 

 migrations of the mackerel, and the food and migrations of the herring. 

 It has, moreover, now been resolved to establish a large and permanent 

 zoological station at Wood's lloll, for which $L'5,000 have been appro- 

 priated. 



In the second place the Commission devoted its attention towards 

 obtaining the most accurate data relative to the different methods by 

 which the fisheries are carried on, and to the history of the fisheries. 



"The following are the exact figures: New Hampshire, 1866-'7i), $22,663 : Vermont, 

 1871-'79, s7,880; Connecticut, 180S-70, $43,300 : Pennsylvania, 1873-VO, $99,030; 



Maine, l867-'80, $36,975; New York, 186tf-'79, $165,000; California,, 1870-'?9, $37,( ; 



New Jersey, ls71-'s<>, $29,500; Rhode Island. 1870^79, $10,500; Ohio, 1873-'80, 

 $29,000; Wisconsin, !873-'80, $38,800; Iowa. l874->ti0, $22,750: Minnesota, 187."»-'80, 

 $22,500; Kentucky, !876-'80, $11,000; Kansas, l«77-'80, $ 2,000 ; Colorado; 1877-80, 

 $2,400, Nevada, 1877-'80, $. r ,,000; West Virginia, 1877-'e0, $3,900. [Cf. p. 150.] 



t At the instance of my honored colleague, Prof. Biujs. Ballot, director of the Meteor- 

 ological Institute, observations have also been taken in the Netherlands, on hoard ves- 

 sels which were engaged in the herring fisheries, relative to the influence which the 

 temperature of the sea-water exercises on the migrations of the herring. These in- 

 vent igatious, however, have been discontinued for a number of years. 





