590 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
animals were almost equally devoted to taxonomy and morphology. While the 
fish-culturists produced relatively few publications during this period, their 
actions spoke louder than words, for the artificial propagation of nearly every 
animal of economic value, vertebrate and invertebrate, waS undertaken; prac- 
tical inventions of all manner of apparatus, from egg trays to fishways, were 
perfected ; and extensive efforts at transplanting and acclimatization were made, 
with brilliant results in Some cases. 
Since 1900 the policy of the bureau has undergone a gradual change. 
Partly as a result of the maturing of this science, and partly because of the 
general trend in research in the universities throughout the country, investi- 
gators turned their interest from systematic ichthyology to the experimental 
branches, and papers on physiology, embryology and behavior, habits, or natural 
history of fishes appeared in increasing numbers. Indeed, papers on the 
taxonomy of fishes were reduced in number from 71 per cent to 28 per cent of 
those on biology of fishes (or from 13 per cent to 7 per cent of all documents 
published). Publications on fish propagation indicate an increasing interest in 
pond culture; and in the fisheries, less attention has been given to reconnais- 
sance surveys and more to the economics and technology of the fishery in- 
dustries. 
This changing attitude is shown further by the interest displayed in the 
study of habits and behavior of fishes, which later has become expanded into 
studies of life history. As the publications in systematic ichthyology decreased 
in number, those on natural history of fishes increased, and even those papers 
dealing with fishery surveys have given more attention to the habits of the 
fishes considered. 
It may be assumed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, that this 
growing attention to studies on the life histories, with its many immediate 
practical bearings upon fisheries conservation, met with popular approval; for. 
beginning in 1908, the appropriations began to take a distinctly upward trend, 
although they had been virtually horizontal for several years previous. It was 
at this time that the brilliant researches of LeFevre and Curtis on the life 
history and artificial propagation of the fresh-water mussel were published ; 
and marked progress in the understanding and control of oyster production, as 
initiated by the work of H. F. Moore, resulted in increased interest in practical 
problems of fishery development. 
The increase in financial support continued steadily, with but a slight check, - 
until in 1918 appropriations had increased 150 per cent over those in 1908. 
Beginning in 1918, however, a period of retrenchment, corresponding with post- 
war deflation, began, and resulted in an actual decline in total appropriations, 
reaching a low level in 1923. 
It may be of interest to consider in a little more detail the support given to 
scientific investigations of the bureau, as indicated by congressional appropria- 
tions. Figure 15 is a historogram of the appropriations for scientific inquiry 
since 1894, in which salaries and miscellaneous expenses are indicated sepa- 
rately and together. It is very difficult, because of the method of accounting, 
to determine exactly the amount of money spent each year by this division 
on strictly scientific investigations, partly because of the fact that there has 
been extensive cooperation between the various divisions, partly because there 
has been an overlapping of activity, but particularly because the account of 
vessels for all purposes has been kept separate, and it is impossible to segre- 
gate that part spent on purely biological work. I have included the expendi- 
tures made on the steamer Albatross (not including extensive overhauling and 
repairs, and not including the pay of the Navy crew). ‘The upper line, there- 
fore, represents this additional amount and also an estimate of the cooperation 
afforded by the Alaska division, particularly on salmon investigations. The 
serious decline in total appropriations from 1920 to 1923 is thus apparent. It 
would appear that this curve of expenditures approaches some form of expo- 
nental curve, and that its rate of increase is, therefore, fairly uniform. This 
is more apparent if the curve before 1920 is considered. In order to show more 
clearly the rate of increase I have plotted these figures on a logarithm basis, as 
in Figure 16. 
If my assumption is correct that the curve of expenditures is represented by 
the formula y—az’, the trend on the chart will be a straight line. Although 
there is some tendency to break about 1911, the curve apparently does fit a 
straight-line trend during the two decades fr om 1900 to 1920, and hence it may 
be concluded that the expansion of scientific investigations has progressed at 
