PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES. 



open ocean Dy trollers and purse seiners has progressed to the point 

 where a preliminary report is in course of preparation. 



Satisfactory returns are being obtained this year from one of the 

 experiments in marking- young chinook sahnon at the hatcheries of 

 the Cohunbia River. Some returns have been obtained from three 

 other experiments, and it is possible that additional results may be 

 obtained later this year. 



Additional marking experiments have been started during the past 

 year with particular reference to chinook fry and yearlings and year- 

 ling sockeyes. At the same time, and in cooperation with the State 

 Fish and Game Commission of Oregon, a representative of the 

 Bureau began last spring the tagging of adult steelhead in the Rogue 

 River. A proposed study of the steelhead and chinooks in this stream 

 has, for various reasons, been delayed. 



HABITS OF FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



Perhaps no papers published by the Bureau are of more service to 

 fish culture, to angling, and to the utilization and conservation of 

 fresh-water fishes than those which comprise the results of careful 

 studies into the habits of useful fishes. The works of Dr. W. C. 

 Kendall, Dr. A. S. Pearse, and Dr. Jacob Reighard fall naturally 

 into this class. Recent studies by Dr. Kendall are referred to in 

 another place. The results of Dr. Reighard's observations are to be 

 given publication in other places. 



Some results of Dr. Pearse's recent studies are embodied in two 

 useful reports, of which one was published last year and the other 

 of which is in press. They are entitled, respectively, " Habits of the 

 Black Crappie in Inland Lakes of Wisconsin " « and " Habits of Yel- 

 low Perch in AVisconsin Lakes." ^ The observations, which have 

 been extended to several lakes, are based upon numerous collections 

 at various seasons, places, and depths, the tagging and recovery of 

 individual fishes, studies of food and parasites, and various other 

 considerations. 



BREEDING HABITS OF THE PADDLEFISH. 



During a considerable portion of the past two years Dr. A. D. 

 Howard, field assistant, has conducted an inquiry into the breeding 

 habits of the paddlefish, Polyodon spathula^ a food fish of the Missis- 

 sippi Basin, which attains a large size and which is of particular 

 ^alue because its eggs make a grade of ca\aar scarcely inferior to 

 that of the sturgeon. This important fish is diminishing in numbers, 

 but all attempts at artificial propagation and all previous investiga- 

 tions of the breeding habits of the species have been barren of practi- 

 cal results. The present investigation, which began in January, 1919, 

 was made possible through the cooperation of the Conservation De- 

 partment of Louisiana. 



