PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 19 3 581 



by Doctor Hiklebrand. and the collections contained a few species 

 which were new to the fauna of Costa Rica. In other instances the 

 range of distribution was extended within that country, and, further- 

 more, the study revealed some noteworthy facts which were pub- 

 lished in Copeia in 1930. 



The systematic study of the Texas fishes mentioned in previous 

 reports has been expanded by Isaac Ginsburg to include the entire 

 Gulf coast of the United States. This fish fauna forms a complex 

 Avhole in which it is first of all necessary to clearly distinguish 

 between the species in order to understand their complex interrela- 

 tionship and the mutual influence which one species exerts on 

 another. 



With this object in view Mr. Ginsburg spent part of the summer 

 season on the Gulf coast collecting and making observations on the 

 coasts of Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Most of the work was 

 done at Grand Isle, La., wdiere quarters and cooperation were offered 

 by the Louisiana State University. A good series of the various 

 species obtainable at that time of the year was preserved for study. 

 A study of this material has shown that important corrections will 

 have to be made in our present-day ideas regarding the status of 

 quite a number of the species and their relation to fishes of adjacent 

 regions. It is intended to publish a series of shorter papers clearing 

 up such moot points while the general project is in progress. A 

 paper on a common species of goby based on these studies has already 

 been prepared and submitted, and other pai)ers of a similar nature 

 are in preparation. 



GREAT LAKES FISHERY INVESTIGATIONS 



In 1930 the Great Lakes investiirations under the direction of Dr. 

 John Van Oosten were conducted on Lake Erie, Green Bay, Lake 

 Michigan, Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron, and on Lake Champlain. 

 The investigations conducted on Lakes Michigan and Champlain 

 were new enterprises started in 1930, while those on Lake Erie and 

 on Saginaw Bay were continuations from previous years. 



LAKE CHAMPLAIN 



The Lake Champlain investigation was a joint undertaking with 

 the Dominion Government of Canada and was conducted uncler the 

 auspices of an International Fact-finding Commission composed of 

 James A. Rodd, representing Canada, and Dr. John Van Oosten, 

 representing the United States. Six investigators took part in the 

 field work which covered a period of about four months. The chief 

 objective of this investigation was the accumulation of scientific 

 data pertinent to the question of determining the effect of commer- 

 cial seining by Canadian residents in Missisquoi Bay on the abun- 

 dance of the pike perch in the United States waters of Lake Champ- 

 lain. This question involved a study of the chief features of the 

 biology of the yellow pike perch, yellow perch, smelt, and suckers. 

 In addition to determinations of abundance, length, weight, sex, and 

 maturity large numbers of stomachs Avere collected and more than 

 8,000 yellow pike perch were tagged to determine the extent of its 

 migratior in Lake Champlain. 



