REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 7 
Alaska. The Alaskan survey, the preparations for which were de- 
seribed in my last report, was specially authorized by Congress and 
was executed during the summer of 1889, the work being in charge of 
Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, the ichthyologist of the Commission. The objects 
of the inquiry were to study the natural history of the salmon and the 
physical characteristics of their environment, to obtain information 
regarding the methods, statistics, and conditions of the fishery, and to 
ascertain the necessities and advantages of Alaskan waters for the 
artificial propagation of these species. Owing to the difficulties in the 
way of reaching their working grounds, the party did not arrive at 
Kadiak until the last of July, and was thereby prevented from extend- 
ing its observations beyond that island and Afognak. Considering, how- 
ever, that Karluk River, on Kadiak Island, furnished at that time about 
one-half the entire yield of the territory in canned salmon, and that 
ample opportunities were afforded there for making a very thorough 
study of the subject, the expedition was entirely successful in its mission. 
The results were reported to Congress during the winter of 1889-90, 
and in that connection the Commissioner recommended that action 
be taken to prohibit obstructions impeding or preventing the ascent of 
salmon in the Alaskan rivers to their spawning-grounds and to pre- 
vent destructive methods of fishing, or that a system of leasing fishery 
privileges under fixed regulations be inaugurated. It was also sug- 
gested that additional legislation might provide for an increased pro- 
duction of salmon by fish-cultural methods, thus avoiding the enormous 
waste of eggs and. young fish under their natural conditions, and re- 
pairing to some extent the injury caused by overfishing. 
In the majority of the other inland investigations the Commissioner 
_has had the advice and codperation of Dr. David 8S. Jordan, president 
of the Indiana University, who has also participated personally in the 
explorations of Colorado, Utah, and the Yellowstone National Park 
during the summer of 1889. During the next summer Prof. S. A. Forbes, 
director of the laboratory of natural history of the State of Hlinois, and 
Prof. Edwin Linton, of Washington and Jefferson College, Pennsyl- 
vania, undertook for the Fish Commission a very detailed investigation 
of the invertebrate fauna of the Yellowstone National Park from the 
standpoint of the natural food supply for fishes. It was considered 
that the planting of fishes in this region would be largely dependent 
for its success upon the abundance of these lower organisms, and it is 
very gratifying to be able to announce that the observations in this 
respect were attended with entirely satisfactory results. 
