TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT. 57 



of fishery science, and it has at the same time been found that the work 

 finished during- the period of training' has been of high order. It can 

 not be expected that reports of scientific work accomplished can l)e pro- 

 duced readily by men who have never before done original research, 

 but what is produced ranks high in freshness of viewpoint and 

 thoroug-hness of treatment. There need therefore be no regrets for the 

 time and effort spent in training these assistants, and there has been 

 no hesitation in starting the training of a new group. 



It must at the same time be realized that such a process can not go 

 on indefinitely. The direction of such work becomes a difficult task, and 

 Avill become increasingly so. since it is well-nigh impossible for the 

 director to specialize in all of the several lines to the necessary extent. 

 Sooner or later mature investigators must be retained to make at least 

 a working nucleus. 



It is necessary for a competent fisheries investigator to be trained in 

 a highly technical way. He must have instruction and drill in the 

 classification and anatomy of fishes, in the methods of determining age, 

 growth. spaAATiing habits, and in the collection of data and in its 

 handling according to modern statistical methods. In addition he must 

 be widely read and well informed in the fisheries work of foreign 

 countries, and in knowledge of distribution of life within the ocean. 

 To this end considerable time must be expended by each assistant along 

 these several lines, as their relation to the problem upon which he is 

 engaged becomes apparent. 



There have now been appointned as new members of the staff Mr. 

 Harold H. Greene, Mr. W. A. Selle, and Miss Ruth R. Miller, who, 

 with Mr. Thompson and Mr. AY. L. Scofield (resident at Monterey), 

 make up the present staff. 



In addition there have been appointed two assistants under a cooper- 

 ative agreement with the Federal Bureau of Fisheries. The text of 

 this agreement is incorporated in the following letter: 



April 22, 11>24. 

 Mr. Will F. Thompson, 



State Fisheries Laioratoii/. 



East San Pedro, California. 



Mr dear Mr. Thompson : The sugKestion has recentl\- been made that the Bureau 

 of Fisheries might well cooperate with the California Fish and Garne Oommi.ssion in 

 the work which you are doing. We are interested in doing this for two reasons : 

 First, in order to aid in the imiwrtant investigations of the sardines and tuna which 

 you are making; and second, in order to provide an opportunity for more young 

 men to be trained under your supervision. I appreciate very keenly the good work 

 which you are doing and especially the renjarkable success which you have had in 

 interesting younger workers in fishei"j' investigations and in giving them a broader 

 viewpoint of fishery matters and a knowledge of, and expei'ience with, the best 

 methods for attacking the complicated problems involved in work of this character. 

 As you well know, it is, at the present time, extremely difficult to get men proi)erly 

 trained in fishery investigation or men capable of collecting and studying fishery 

 statistics. 



It is proposed that we reserve out of our allotments for tln' fiscal year of ir)2."i 

 (July 1. 11^>24, to .Tune 30, 192.>) a fund of .$2/)(X) to be expended in the employment 

 of two men to work under your supervision. One thousand dollars of tliLs is to be 

 allotted from the appropriation of Scientific Inquiry and is to go toward paying the 

 salary of a man to work on an investigation of the fi.=5heries of California. Another 

 .$1,(XK> is to be allotted from the ai>propriation of the Division of Fishery Industries 

 and is to go toward paying the salary of a man to work on the statistics of the 

 fisheries of California. The California Fish and Game Commission may pay as 



