REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. Lele 
sewage bacteria ( Bacillus coli, the type form) normal and usual inhabitants of shell- 
fish? (2) How soon after the introduction of B. coli into the water does it appear in 
the clam? (3) How long does B. coli live in ordinary sea water? (4) How long, 
under normal conditions, does B. coli remain alive and active in the intestine of shell- 
fish? (5) Is it probable that the shell-fish digest B. coli and thus incidentally act as 
purifiers of the sewage-polluted waters, and further, that by digesting #. coli, shell- 
fish may after a time become free from sewage bacteria and therefore harmless as 
food for man? (6) Examination to ascertain what anatomical region is most certain 
to give a true index to the presence of B. coli. > 
The methods used by Doctor Field and Doctor Fuller for securing proper conditions 
of infection with Bacillus coli and for maintaining the normal conditions of life for 
the clams proved satisfactory. The results will probably be published by the 
Massachusetts State Board of Health in its annual report and are believed to be of 
considerable importance. 
The lobster problem.—At the request of Capt. J. W. Collins, chairman of the fish 
and game commission of Massachusetts, Doctor Field secured at Woods Hole and 
Cuttyhunk important data concerning the lobsterindustry, bearing upon the biological 
importance of preserving the adult lobsters and permitting the catching of immature 
ones. Figures were obtained indicating the commercial value, in terms of edible 
meat, of lobsters 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5 inches long; also the weights and measurements 
(length, weight, and diameters of chele, thorax, and abdomen) of upward of 800 
newly caught lobsters coming from different sections; and some observations were 
' made upon the relative numbers of mature and immature lobsters in the ocean. In 
connection with the recommendation of a law which would insure the perpetual 
protection of the adult lobster, experiments were made looking toward the adoption 
of a pot which would exclude lobsters above 11 inches in length and permit the 
escape of those under 9inches. The result of this would be the automatic regulation 
of lobster catching to practically only those sizes between 9 and 11 inches. 
The food of marine birds.—Lynds Jones, M. 8., instructor in zoology, Oberlin Col- 
lege. These investigations were made on Weepecket, Penikese, and Muskeget 
islands. Stomachs of young terns were examined, and the feeding of the young by- 
the parent, as well as the feeding of the adult birds, was carefully noted. Mr. Jones 
gives the following estimate of the tern population of the various islands where they 
nest: Weepecket, 2,000; Penikese, 10,000; Muskeget, 80,000; total, 92,000. Thetwo 
species (Sterna hirundo and S. dougalli) are represented in about the proportion of 2 
to 1. The feeding habits and the food of the two are the same. The number of 
fishes eaten in this region by terns in the course of one day is estimated by Mr. Jones 
as follows: Sand launce (Amimodytes americanus), 736,000; chogset ( Tuutogolabrus 
adspersus), 73,600; mullet (Mugil curema), 36,800; pollock (Pollachius virens), 27,600; 
clupeid fish (Clupea or Pombolobus) 27,600, and flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes ameri- 
canus), 18,400. Mr. Jones concludes that the number of food fishes consumed by 
terns is a negligible quantity. The food of the gulls, loons, kingfishers, osprey, and 
ducks was not studied. 
The bactericidal properties of sera of marine animals.—G. F. Ruediger, M. D., Memo- 
rial Institute for Infectious Diseases, Chicago (Rush Medical College). The object 
of this work was to find a normal blood serum in cold-blooded animals which would 
be destructive to streptococci. Sera from butter-fish, dog-fish, conger eel, flounder, 
mackerel, dusky shark, sand shark, scup, squeteague, butterfly-ray, sting-ray, com- 
mon skate, squid, lobster, spider crab, king crab, snapping turtle, painted turtle, and 
spotted turtle were used. Streptococci were found to grow well in all of these er-, 
excepting those of the painted turtle and spotted turtle. These two sera seemed to 
kill large numbers of organisms from some cultures of streptococci, other cultures, 
however, not being affected. Heating the serum destroyed its bactericidal prop- 
erties. An attempt was also made to immunize the dog-fish, but lack of time pre- 
vented conclusive results. 
