58 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



much more in the wav of salaiT to these men as it desires. The selection of men 

 will be left to you, but it is suggested that they be either college graduates or men 

 in their senior year; and preferably men who will be interested in engaging per- 

 manently in fishery work. If you are unable to secure competent ones we will try 

 CO find men on the east coast w^ho are capable. It may also be possible for uS to 

 send out one of the men on our regular staff who can profit by the training you 

 may be able to give. There is to be nc restriction, so far as the Bureau of Fisheries 

 is concerned, upon the activities of these men— both are to work as you may direct. 

 The only thing we ask is that whenever the positions in the Bureau are made 

 available they shall feel free, so far as the California Commission and yourself are 

 concerned, to accept. 



A copy of this letter is being sent to Mr. Scofield and if the proposed plan meets 

 with his approval and yours, the necessary funds will be reserved and will be 

 available for use after the first of next July. If the plan works successfully it is 

 our desire to continue it during future years. 



Very sincerely yours. 



(Signed) Henry O'Malley, 



Commissioner. 



There is no short cut to knowledge or to the accomplishment of 

 research, which is the extension of the boundaries of knowledge. 



The director has therefore at the present time found himself not 

 merely responsible for his own research, but for those of his assistants 

 as well. It is fortunate indeed that students of high enough caliber can 

 be secured to render this course feasible. 



ASSIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL. 



The work done during the past two years has been moulded to a 

 very appreciable extent by these changes in the staff. Previous to the 

 departure of the assistants wlio have left our service, every endeavor 

 was made to bring their work to the point of publication. This was in 

 itself a rather difficult matter, as anyone familiar with the vicissitudes 

 of research will recognize. The net result was a temporary concentra- 

 tion of attention upon the sardine reports, since the resigning assistants 

 were engaged thereupon, but the field work was not neglected and the 

 continuity of our records of the fishery has not suffered. The publica- 

 tion of the work on the albacore has, however, been badly delayed. 



Now that the sardine work has been brought to the completion of the 

 first publication, the available new assistants have been concentrated 

 upon the albacore data, leaving two to carry on the sardine field work 

 at Monterey and San Pedro. Whether the analysis of the all)acore 

 catch can be completed in time to be of use this coming session of the 

 legislature remains to be seen. No effort will be spared. 



SARDINE WORK. 



The first stage of the sardine work lias now l)een completed and the 

 reports thereon are now at hand for printing. The significance of what 

 has been found needs to be emphasized and clearly explained, because 

 it points the way to the future of the work and indicates certain possi- 

 bilities in regard 1o \hr fiitiir(> of tlio iTidusti-ics do])ondpnt upon the 

 sardine. 



The stated purposes of the investigations have been fully outlined in 

 previous Biennial Reports, in Fish Bulletin No. 2 and in Fish and 

 Game, Vol. 6, pages 10-12, 32, 83, 180-182. They include: (1) The 

 detection of depletion ; (2) the discovery of whatever great natural flue- 



