C REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



The consideratiou of the food of very young fishes received special 

 attention because of its bearing on fish-cultural work. It is important 

 to determine wliether the places in which whiteflsh and otlier fry are 

 planted are provided with suitable food-organisms; and if not, the 

 inquiries were intended to show the most favorable localities for the 

 liberation of young fish. By the close of the fiscal year the work was 

 progressing satisfactorily and gave evidence of important practical 

 results. 



STUDIES OF YOUNG FISH. 



During the year some important studies of the movements, habits, 

 food, growth, etc., of young shad and Pacific salmon were begun, and 

 resulted in a considerable addition to existing knowledge. These 

 will be extended so as to embrace most of the fishes cultivated by the 

 Commission. 



In association with the work of propagating shad on the steamer Fish 

 Haulc in St. Johns Kiver, Florida, in January and February, 1897, Dr. 

 W. 0. Kendall was detailed to conduct systematic observations relative 

 to young shad in that stream. Later he accompanied the vessel to 

 Albemarle Sound, North Carolina, and continued his inquiries in that 

 region. On the completion of the shad-hatching there in March, the 

 investigations were transferred to Potomac Eiver, where arrangements 

 were made for an active study of the young fish during the following 

 months, at a number of points on fresh, brackish, and salt water. 



In February, 1897, Mr. A. B. Alexander, fishery expert of the Alba- 

 tross, was detailed to make studies of the movements and habits of 

 young quinnat salmon. The Commission had under consideration the 

 advisability of liberating artificially hatched salmon fry at points near 

 salt water, instead of in the upper courses of the streams where they 

 are naturally hatched, in order that they may have a better chance of 

 escaping from their numerous enemies in the rivers and reaching the 

 ocean. The tributaries of Tomales Bay, California, were selected for 

 the experiments and observations. About 700,000 recently hatched 

 fish were transferred to Olema, on a tributary of the bay, and were 

 subsequently distribnted in suitable lots to Bear Valley Creek, Paper 

 Mill Creek, Dutch Bill Creek, and Olema Creek. Mr. Alexander began 

 his observations on February 25 and continued till April 1, when he was 

 relieved by Mr. N. B. Scofield, of Leland Stanford Junior University, 

 who was employed until May 20. The in(iuiries consisted in noting 

 the behavior of the young fish after planting; their movements to and 

 from the salt water; their growth, food, and enemies; the influence 

 of temperature and rains on their movements; and the length of tlieir 

 sojourn in the creeks. 



The Tomales Bay region is made up of low lines of hills running 

 north and south, barren on their western slopes, but heavily wooded 

 on their easterii side. The bay itself, which is quite shallow, 2 or 3 

 miles wide and 30 miles long, occupies the space between two ridges. 



