PEOGEESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIEIES, 1931 529 



tiiiuod actively by Dr. Samuel F. Hildebrand and Louella E. Cable 

 at the Beaufort Laboratory. Field work was continued, and the 

 collections for study w^ere considerably augmented. In the labo- 

 ratory the study and identification of specimens was continued, and 

 a special effort was made to build up for different species complete 

 series showing all the stages in the development from the egg, or 

 very small larvae, to the adult. Descriptions and drawings for 

 several species, together with notes on their spawning habits, rate 

 of growth, food and feeding habits, and commercial importance, 

 were prepared. 



APPROPRIATIONS 



Under the terms of the act of May 21, 1930, known as the Five-year 

 construction and maintenance program for the Bureau of Fisheries, 

 additional appropriations of funds for the division of scientific in- 

 quiry have been made. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1931, 

 $262,000 in round numbers was provided for the scientific work of the 

 division. For the remaining half of the year, appropriations for the 

 fiscal year 1932, totaling approximately $322,500, w^ere available. 

 These figures represent the combined appropriations from various 

 accounts except funds spent for vessel operations in connection with 

 scientific work. The funds w^ere allotted in the various sections of 

 the country as follows : For fishery investigations in the Atlantic and 

 Gulf coast areas, 23 per cent; for the Great Lakes and interior lakes, 

 8 per cent ; for the Pacific coast, 17 per cent; for investigations in the 

 interest of fish culture throughout the country, 15 per cent ; for shell- 

 fish investigations, including oyster cultural studies, mussel propaga- 

 tion, and pollution studies, the shrimp investigations, and the opera- 

 tion of the Beaufort (N. C.) Fisheries Biological Laboratory, 

 devoted chiefly to oyster-cultural studies during the last half of the 

 year, 23 per cent; for studies on the conservation of fish by means of 

 screens and ladders, 6 per cent; for the operation of the central 

 laboratory in Washington, administrative costs, and supplies fur- 

 nished to field investigations through the Washington office, 7 per 

 cent. 



As was pointed out in the previous report of this division, the 

 greatest obstacle to the orderly development of a comprehensive pro- 

 gram of fisheries research, adequately covering all sections of the 

 country, lies in the failure to provide for increased vessel operations. 

 Although small craft have been added to the bureau's fleet for inshore- 

 fishery studies, in some localities, in the North Atlantic particularly, 

 investigations are being hampered by lack of adequate vessel facili- 

 ties. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that, pending the securing of a 

 seagoing vessel suitable for high-seas investigations, some improve- 

 ment in existing facilities can be made during the fiscal year from 

 funds already appropriated which wall in a measure compensate for 

 these deficiencies. 



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