182 CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. 



(1) Deer. Estimate made from actual report of kill made by deputies and forest 

 officers. 



(2) Ducks. Estimate made from records showing: shipments to market. 



f. Investigations of disease attacking game. 



(1) F. O. Clarke — disease attacking deer in Trinity County; proved to be a 

 bladder worm. 



(2) Dr. Bryant — disease attacking ducks in Sutter County, 1918. 



g. Investigations of birds in relation to agriculture. 



(1) Ducks versus rice. Joint investigation by Biological Survey and Fish and 

 Game Commission. 



(2) Blackbirds versus corn and other crops. 



(3) English sparrow versus garden crops and beneficial native birds. 

 (4i) Relation of meadow lark to agriculture. 



h. Field investigations of game refuges. 



(1) Trinity County Game Refuge; present condition; predatory mammals. 



(2) Pinnacles Monument Game Refuge; present condition; predatory mammals. 



i. Study of acclimatization of exotic species. Success and failure in the intro- 

 duction of foreign game bii'ds and mammals. 



j. Study of methods of conserving wild life. 



k. Scientific investigations of deer and their status in California by F. C. Clarke. 



The following scientific investigations of the commercial fisheries of the state 

 have been carried on, and many of them are still in progress under the direction of 

 Mr. N. B. Scofield, in charge of the Department of Commercial Fisheries. 



fl. Investigation of Albacore, Sardine and Herring. Mr. Will F. Thompson, 

 formerly with the Department of Fisheries of British Columbia, at present fishery 

 expert in our laboratory at Long Beach, is making a scientific investigation of the 

 life history of the albacore, together with a statistical analysis of the catch. He is 

 also making a scientific study of the sardine and herring, as well as observations on a 

 great many other fish. The greater part of the time, however, is spent with the 

 albacore and sardine, in order that we may be prepared to cope with the many 

 problems arising with the rapid development of these fisheries. 



Mr. Elmer Iliggins, who is a graduate of the Department of Zoology, University 

 of Southern California, is assisting Mr. Thompson in the laboratory, collecting speci- 

 mens and conducting experimental fishing trips on the patrol launch "Albacore." 



h. Edwin Chapen Starks, assistant professor of zoology of the Leland Stanford 

 Junior University (formerly curator of the museum, and instructor at the University 

 of Washington), is writing a series of comprehensive articles on the results of his 

 studies of the various fishes of this ( oast, which appear in our magazine, "California 

 Fish and Game," i.e.. 



The Flat Fishes of California. 



The Mackerel and Mackerel-like Fishes of California. 



The Herring and Herring-like Fishes of California. 



The Sharks of California. 



The Skates and Rays of California. 



c. Salmon. Arrangements have been made to complete the investigations of the 

 life history of the salmon from Monterey Bay to the northern boundary of the state. 

 Mr. Willis Rich, a well-known student in zoology, and J. O. Snyder, associate 

 professor of zoology, Leland Stanford Junior University, formerly Assistant United 

 States Fish Commissioner, naturalist U. S. S. "Albatross" and expert ichthyolo- 

 gist, will carry on the work. Mr. Rich has already completed a great deal of work 

 on the salmon and Dr. C. H. Gilbert of Leland Stanford Junior University has 

 carried on extensive experiments for the commission in marking and planting 

 salmon fry. 



d. Crab. A study of the Pacific Coast edible crab {Cancer magister) was made 

 by Frank Walter Weymouth (assistant professor of physiology, Leland Stanford 

 Junior University, A. B. Stanford 1009, A. M. Stanford 1911. In 1912 and 1913, 

 assistant in physiology at the Johns Hopkins University), in the year 1911. As a 

 direct result of his findings the size limit of crabs was increased by law and the 

 catch of crabs in 1917 was increased SO per cent over that of 1916. 



e. Mollusks. In 1911 a complete survey was made of the California coast under 

 the direction of Prof. Harold Heath, professor of zoology, Leland Stanford Junior 

 University (A. B. Ohio Wesleyan, Ph.D. Pennsylvania), covering the mollusks of 

 this region. W. W. Curtner, Will F. Thompson and Mr. Hubbs assisted in this work. 



f. Crawfish. A crawfish investigation was made in 1911 by Bennett M. Allen of 

 the University of Wisconsin. Later Waldo S. Schmidt of the United States National 

 Museum came to this coast, and in 1918, with the assistance^ of our men and boats, 

 was able to secure some specimens of young crawfish which will greatly assist him in 

 his report of their life history. 



g. Abalones. Mr. W. W. Curtner has made a complete study of the abalones of 

 the State. Mr. Curtner is a graduate in zoology of the Leland Stanford Junior 

 University. 



