XC REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



to show that the American and Asiatic herds do not mingle, each being 

 quite independent of the other. 



Another important discovery was made by Mr. Charles H. Townsend, 

 the naturalist of the steamer Albatross, who was sent to Guadeloupe 

 Island, off the coast of Lower California, where the Alaskan fur seal was 

 said to haul out regularly during the period of its southern distribution 

 in the winter. Specimens obtained there and brought to Washington 

 proved to belong not only to a different species than the northern form, 

 but to represent as well a totally distinct genus. The investigations of 

 the Albatross were still in progress at the end of the year. 



Further assistance was rendered to the agent of the United States 

 in preparing the Bering Sea case by the assistant in charge of 

 this division, who was called upon to present a review of the principal 

 ocean fisheries of the world, together with a compilation of all foreign 

 laws for the protection of marine products and the regulation of the 

 industries pertaining thereto. This work, which required several 

 months for its completion, served to bring out many interesting 

 features of legislation, some of the most conspicuous in respect to the 

 disregard of the traditional 3-mile zone being afforded by the British 

 colonies in the southern hemisphere. As an illustration may be noted 

 the regulations of ISTew Zealand, which, by provisions as stringent as 

 those of the modus vivendi now in force in Bering Sea, seek to protect the 

 fur seals, once so abundant in that region, over an area measuring 20° in 

 latitude by 25° in longitude, the greatest width of water in that area, 

 measured from the coast of the middle island of jSTew Zealand, being 700 

 miles. On the western side of the island of Ceylon, moreover, along a 

 strip of water frontage exceeding 20 miles in width, any vessel " anchor- 

 ing or hovering and not proceeding to her proi)er destination" during 

 certain months is subject to seizure and confiscation as a menace to the 

 pearl fishing banks. These laws and many others of equal novelty which 

 might be quoted are probably entirely justifiable, but if the right to 

 enforce tliem is recognized in respect to one country, the exercise of 

 such right may be justly claimed in all analogous cases. 



The steamer Fish Haiclc has spent a large part of the year in deline- 

 ating the oyster- grounds in different parts of Chesapeake Bay, and in 

 determining their condition by careful and detailed investigations. 

 The work accomplished has proved of great practical value in bringing 

 forcibly to the attention of the governments of Maryland and Virginia 

 the necessity of affording greater protection to their oyster territory, 

 and the advantages offered by those waters for greatly increasing the 

 production of this mollusk. Virginia has already taken steps to profit 

 by this information and will seek to encourage private oyster-culture 

 as a means of utilizing large tracts of bottom which are well adapted 

 to oyster growth, but yield no returns at the present time. In some 

 countries of Europe, and notably in France, the cultivation of the 

 oyster has been brought to a high state of perfection. While it is not 

 expected that the methods there employed can be advantageously 



