300 



ZOOLOGY 



States is that of the salmon; over three million cases con- 

 taining thirteen to fifteen million fish are packed annually on 

 our Pacific coast. Over 43 million salmon were caught in 

 Alaska in one year (1908). These figures, which are so large 



Fig. 282 a. - 



■ The Return of the Fishermen, 

 theleniy. 



From a painting by Ber- 



as to be difficult to grasp, give us a faint idea of the vast- 

 ness of the process by which the energy absortied by the 

 microscopic organisms of the sea is utilized as food by man. 



Fish are emplo.yed by man, not only as food, but, being some- 

 times obtained in greater numbers than the market requires, 

 they have been used to fertilize the land. Most coastal 

 states have declared it illegal to use fish as fertilizers of land, 

 and there is now little excuse for doing so. Modern canning 

 methods make it now possible to utilize even the largest 



