PKOGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL IXQUIKIES, 1921. 35 



FRESH-WATER MUSSELS. 

 PROPAGATION OF MUSSELS. 



The Fisheries biological station at Fairport. Iowa, continued its 

 practical propagation of fresh-water mussels in the Mississippi drain- 

 age at Lake Pepin and Lake Pokegama, Minn.; at Xew Boston, Oqu- 

 awka. and Dallas City. 111.: at Fairport, Iowa: at Hannibal and 

 Clarksville, Mo.: and in coojjeration with rescue crews along the 

 Mississippi in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The total number of glo- 

 chidia infected upon fish and liberated in public waters during the 

 year was approximately 648.445,000, including 478,705.000 infected 

 upon rescued fish l)y cooperative agents working in connection with 

 rescue crews of the division of fish culture. 



With a view to demonsti'ating the possibilities of mussel propaga- 

 tion in connection witli the i-escuing of food fishes, the Xational Asso- 

 ciation of P>utton Manufacturers offered to cooperate with tlio Bureau 

 by providing men to a'-comjiany each rescue crew on the upper river 

 and to inoculate all fishes with the glocliidia of the T^ake Pejiin 

 mucket, the most important of the local mussels. Seven agents of 

 the button manufacturers cooperated with seven crews working under 

 the direction of Supt. Culler, of the Homer (Minn.) station, and dur- 

 ing October and November inoculated nearly G.OOl 1.000 fish with 

 glochidia. 



The localities in which the work was done and the number of fish 

 subjected to infection in each locality were as follows: 



Lynxville, Wis 2.02."). 200 



GeiK.a. Wis 1, 214. 900 



FeiT.vville. Wis !)07, ;^40 



Fountain City, Wis SO. HIO 



North Mcflrejror. Iowa 076, 100 



Belleue, Iowa 931, 500 



Total ,-), 841, .^50 



Material coojieration of this nature by an association of business 

 men is a source of gratification to the Bureau, not only as evidence of 

 a cordial spirit, but as evidence of faith in the practical value of the 

 service rendered in the propagation of river mussels. 



PROTECTION OF MUSSELS. 



A prominent feature of the work of the Fairport station for sev- 

 eral years has been the part which it has played in bringing about 

 a strong sentiment for the protection of fresh-water mussels and 

 the cooperation it has extended to the several States in giving aid, 

 when solicited, in selecting the areas for closure to mussel fishing. 

 Additional closures of .streams or parts of streams has followed the 

 beginning made in the punt by Minnesota and Wis<-onsin. Minne- 

 sota in A))ril closed for a period of five years ])arts of the Minnesota 

 Kiver, and the entire Cannon and Straight Kivers. Iowa, in the 

 same nunith, closed for a similar jjeriod i)arts of the Iowa, Cedar, 

 and Des Moines Kivers, and the entire Shellrock River. 



