10 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Canada.—Carp were furnished the Game and Fish Commission. of 
Ontario, and eggs of the Loch Leven trout and Von Behr trout were 
sent to Mr. W. P. Greenough, Portneuf, Quebec. 
France.—ggs of the rainbow trout were sent to C. Raveret-Wattel, 
Paris. 
Switzerland.—At the request of the Government of Switzerland 30,000 
eggs of the rainbow trout were sent to Mr. Emil Warner for that Gov- 
ernment. 
Japan.—To Prof. C. Sasaki, Tokyo, were sent eggs of the Loch Leven 
trout, Von Behr trout, and rainbow trout. 
DIVISION OF INQUIRY RESPECTING FOOD-FISHES. 
The work of this division during the year is set forth in the appended 
report of Mr. Richard Rathbun, assistant in charge. In addition to the 
regular inquiries of the Commission, the assistant in charge gave much 
time and labor, at the request of the Department of State, in preparing, 
for use before the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration, information concerning 
the condition and character of the more important fisheries of foreign 
countries and the legislation for their protection and improvement. 
Owing to the detail of the Albatross for duty in Bering Sea, under the 
direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and the necessity of repairs 
to the ship after the completion of her duties on this detail, the inves- 
tigations on behalf of the Commission in the beginning of the year 
could only be incidentally performed. The opportunity was embraced, 
however, of making a careful study of the seal rookeries of the Pribilof 
Islands by the naturalists of the ship, who were temporarily detached 
from her. Upon the surrender of the Albatross to the Commission, on 
August 31, 1892, it was necessary to give her extensive repairs, which 
were not completed till the following April, when the President directed 
that she be placed under the orders of the Secretary of the Navy for 
duty in connection with the sealing patrol fleet in the North Pacifie 
Ocean and Bering Sea. Owing to these details of the ship, the system- 
atic prosecution of the inquiries of the Commission was not possible. 
It is hoped, however, that another season matters may be so arranged 
as to permit its performance. 
On the Atlantic and Gulf coasts much attention was given to the 
study of the oyster beds and conditions affecting them. Among the 
grounds examined were those of Chesapeake Bay, embracing Tangier 
Sound, Mobjack Bay, and the rivers tributary thereto, and Galveston 
Bay, Gulf of Mexico. At Sea Isle City, N. J., experiments were con- 
ducted by Prof. John A. Ryder, of the University of Pennsylvania, 
formerly the embryologist of the Fish Commission, with the view of 
determining, if possible, a practical method for the collection of oyster 
spat, and the creation thereby of an industry distinct from, but as prac- 
tical as, that of oyster-planting. Professor Ryder’s observations on 
the subject will be found in the report of Mr. Rathbun. 
