22 REPORT OP THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 



with similar experiments conducted bj^ the Bureau of Fisheries in 

 Tomales Bay in 1897 and 1808, which resulted in a heavy run of 

 salmon where none had previously occurred. 



During August important investigations were conducted on Puget 

 Sound and Frazer River, and data of much value to the International 

 Fisheries Commission were secured. Among other things disclosed 

 by these iuATstigations is the fact that there are in that region two 

 distinct, recognizable forms of chinook salmon, frequenting differ- 

 ejit portions of those waters and possessing different commercial 

 values. 



OTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 



Cooperation with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History 

 Survey in the examination of the lakes in that State has continued 

 and has been extended to include, for purposes of comparison and 

 verification, certain lakes in Minnesota and New York. This system 

 of cooperation secures for the Bureau information of value to fish 

 culture which otherwise could be obtained only with greatly increased 

 difficulty and expense. 



At the end of the year a somewhat similar plan was adopted in an 

 examination of the Illinois Eiver with respect to its pollution and 

 biological changes which have been induced in it consequent to the 

 diversion of the flow of the Chicago River. Certain phases of the 

 pearl-mussel investigations appear to be connected with this work. 



The work carried on at Sebago Lake for several years was brought 

 to a close during the summer of 1911, most of the data desired hav- 

 ing been obtained. In connection with this there has been a con- 

 tinuance of the investigation of Sunapee Lake, N. H., to determine 

 the economic interrelationships of the several food fishes inhabiting 

 that water and to ascertain the effects of fish culture and its proper 

 development in the future. 



In response to a strong local demand the Bureau undertook, at 

 the end of the fiscal year, a physical and biological investigation of 

 lakes in Idaho to determine their fitness for the introduction of food 

 fishes and the best means by which their resources can be developed. 



In the fall of 1910 arrangements were completed for a compre- 

 hensive biological survey of the Canal Zone by various Government 

 scientific bureaus in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution. 

 The field work concerning the aquatic life was assigned to the Bu- 

 reau of Fisheries, which detailed for that duty an assistant who 

 went to Panama in December and remained until May. The entire 

 winter was devoted to a careful examination of the fresh waters of 

 the Zone, and extensive collections of the fishes, reptiles, batrachians, 

 and other aquatic species v.ere made. Some collecting was done also 



