PEOGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1929 1091 



results has been sufficient to wanant a gradual increase in the work 

 done in this field. 



New investigations begun during the past year have included a 

 study of the homing instinct of pink salmon in southeastern Alaska, 

 the investigation of the red salmon of the Copper River and the 

 investigati(m of the red salmon of the Bristol Bay district. The 

 work is under the direction of Dr. Willis H. Rich. 



The staff engaged in these investigations has been brought together 

 in quarters provided by Stanford University in the Natural History 

 Museum. Am])le laboratory space has been provided ; and laboratory 

 furniture, the ichthyological library, and a considerable amount of 

 apparatus is made available by the university without cost to the 

 Government. These arrangements have been made through the fine 

 cooperation of the university authorities, especially Prof. J. O. 

 Snyder. 



ALASKA SALMON 



Tagging expennients. — Continuing the series of salmon-tagging 

 experiments that have been conducted in Alaska since 1922, ap- 

 proximately 4,000 salmon were tagged in central Alaska during the 

 summer of' 1929. Of this number 1,900 were tagged in Cook Inlet 

 and about 2,100 in Prince William Sound. The work was done by 

 Seton H. Thompson under the direction of Dr. W. H. Rich. 



The Cook Inlet operations consisted of seven experiments in which 

 four species of salmon were tagged. Approximately 41 per cent of 

 the fish were sockeyes, 41 per cent pinks, 12 per cent chums, and 3 per 

 cent cohos. The experiments w^ere conducted at four different locali- 

 ties — Flat Island, Nubble Point, Cape Starichkof, and Nikishka Bay. 

 Tagging w^as done during the early part of the season, and again 

 during the latter part of the season when the run was at its maxi- 

 mum. About 600, or 31 per cent of these tagged fish, were recovered 

 and reported. 



The Prince William Sound tagging operations were conducted in 

 nine experiments at five different localities during the early part, the 

 height, and the latter part of the season. Of the number tagged, 

 approximately 97 per cent were pinks, and the remainder were 

 mostly chums. About 500, or 21 per cent, of the tagged fish were 

 reported taken in different parts of Prince William Sound. 



The results of these experiments are now being tabulated and 

 studied, and it is expected that a report will be submitted for publica- 

 tion within a few months. 



Statistics of the Alaska salmon fisheries. — The work of compiling 

 and tabulating these data has been continued by Dr. W. H. Rich 

 and E. M. Ball, assistant, Alaska service, and is now practically 

 complete. Tables have been prepared showing the catch in each 

 district from the beginning of the industry up to and including 

 1927, and the analysis of these tables is now under way. The prepa- 

 ration of a second number in the series of statistical reports dealing 

 with the fisheries of central Alaska will be completed within a few 

 months. 



Kariuk River iiivestigations. — The intensive study of the red sal- 

 mon runs of the Kariuk River, Kodiak Island, Alaska, have been 

 continued by W. H. Rich, A. C. Taft, and M. W. Brown. Another 



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