66 THE BUREAU OF SCIENCE 



SECTION OF FISHERIES OF THE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY 



The ichthyologist was absent on leave in the United States 

 from July 27, 1912, to January 3, 1913. During this time the 

 helpers of the section of ichthyology were engaged in labeling 

 specimens and transferring them to the permanent containers. 

 The collection is in better shape than it has been for some time. 



Economic work. — While in the United States, Mr. Scale visited 

 some large sardine canneries and met the directors of these 

 establishments in an effort to interest them in the establishment 

 of sardine canneries in the Philippines. These directors re- 

 quested numerous details, especially regarding the species of 

 sardines and anchovies and their abundance, questions which 

 could be easily answered from data derived from the investiga- 

 tions of this Bureau. The Booth Sardine Canning Co. was 

 sufficiently interested to furnish a case of glass containers in 

 which to send them samples of the Philippine sardines and 

 anchovies in the salted state; this has been done. Sooner or 

 later some of the large fish-packing firms will undoubtedly open 

 establishments in the Philippines ; this will be of great advantage 

 to Philippine fishermen. 



Windoiv shells. — The demand for window shells has steadily 

 increased during the past year, and we have received from 

 Australia, Honolulu, and the United States letters requesting 

 either shells or information regarding shells. The information 

 desired has always been furnished, and requests for shells have 

 been forwarded to Manila dealers. Owing to the increased 

 demand for these shells, it was thought best to take some steps 

 to insure an increased supply for the future. Therefore, a 

 suitable bottom near Malabon was selected, properly marked on 

 a chart, and 1,000 young window shells were transferred from 

 the Kawit beds to this place. The number could be profitably 

 increased to ten thousand or more. 



Commercial button shells. — With the opening of the second 

 button factory in Manila, the demand for shells to be used in 

 the manufacturing of buttons increased as shown by the price 

 of the top shell (Trochiis niloticus L.), which has advanced 

 from ?8 to ?20 per picul. This has stimulated the sale of 

 these shells and a tendency to gather young and immature shells. 

 We strongly urge that a law prohibiting the gathering of top 

 shells less than 9 centimeters across the base be passed. 



The black lip pearl-shell (Margaratifera marguratifera L.), 

 which heretofore had not been gathered in very great quantities, 

 is also now being taken in vast numbers for buttons. As this 



