532 U. 3. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Egegik River, Bristol Bay. Plans are being made now for the con- 
struction of a counting weir in the Kvichak River, Bristol Bay. 
During 1926 particular interest attached to the run in the Karluk 
River, as this was the first return from a known escapement—that 
of 1921, the first year in which the counting weir was operated in 
this river. As the escapement of 1921 was one of the best on record 
(1,825,654 fish), a good run was expected and materialized. The 
total run, including the fish taken for commercial purposes and the 
escapement contained somewhat more than 4,500,000 fish. This 
indicates a return of approximately three fish for each one that 
escaped to the spawning grounds. Just how constant this produc- 
tivity will be, remains to be determined by the returns in future 
years from known escapements; but it is a noteworthy accomplish- 
ment to have secured such data as these on a stream of the size and 
commercial importance of the Karluk. This intensive study of 
escapements and runs is considered to be of the utmost importance to 
the understanding of the factors that cause fluctuations in abundance 
in these great fisheries. 
In addition to the detailed studies of the commercial catch and 
spawning escapement carried on by Doctor Gilbert at Karluk, a 
study of the history of the salmon in fresh water and of their 
seaward migration has been undertaken by Doctor Rich, assisted 
by Seymour P. Sm-th. In order to determine the number of young 
fish that migrate seaward, approximately 47,000 seaward migrants 
were marked during 1926, and the future runs of adult fish will be 
examined carefully for the return of marked fish. The total run 
of adults and the number of marked fish returning as adults will be 
determined, and from this it is believed that a fairly reliable measure 
of the total number of young salmon in the seaward migration each 
year can be determined with some accuracy. Such marking exper.- 
ments will be continued in the Karluk River over a period of years 
in order to permit a study of the correlation between the size of the 
seaward migration and the future runs. 
Considerable time was spent on Karluk Lake, which was mapped 
and sounded; and extensive observations of all spawning streams 
were made. ‘The past year was one of exceedingly low water, and 
many of the spawn:ng beds made early in the season were left ex- 
posed by the end of the summer. Further observations will be 
necessary to determine whether such conditions will affect the sur- 
vival of the eggs. The study of such factors as this, which un- 
doubtedly affect to a marked degree the survival of young salmon 
during their fresh-water life, is considered to be of prime impor- 
tance, and plans have been made to continue these observations as 
a routine part of the intens.ve study of the Karluk River salmon. 
SALMON OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER 
The salmon-marking experiments conducted on the Columbia River 
by Harlan B. Holmes yielded greater returns during the season of 
1926 than ever before. As in former years, the cooperation of the 
Oregon Fish Commission (especially in paying rewards for records 
of the recovery of marked fish) was responsible for a great part of 
the success of the work. The most pleasing returns obtained during 
the past season were from a lot of 50,000 yearling sockeyes, which, 
