28 



U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



(usually about six days), after which the treatment is given once a 

 day for about 10 days, which is usually sufficient to rid the fish of the 

 parasites. 



The effect of the sal-soda solution is to cause the parasites to shrink 

 and wrinkle as they die. It is apparent that the solution kills 

 the free swimmers, the young just attached to the fish, and all but the 

 larger and more thoroughly embedded parasites. These last leave the 

 fish in the natural process of development, and their offspring are 

 killed with others after they attack the fish and before they attain 

 their maturit}^ Thus in time the parasites are entirely exterminated. 



The channel catfish were fed, as usual, ground liver three times a 

 day while the treatment was in progress, and the usual care was given 

 the fish and troughs as to cleanliness. 



OCEANOGRAPHIC AND LIMNOLOGICAL STUDIES. 

 INVESTIGATIONS IN THE ATLANTIC. 



Because of deficiency in funds and personnel the Albatross has not 

 been at sea during the year. 



Some brief cruises to complete the field work of the hydrographic 

 and biological survey of the Gulf of Maine were made by the small 

 Fisheries steamer Halcyon under the direction of Dr. H. B. Bigelow. 

 The preparation of the report upon all the data gathered at different 

 times during a period of years is now in progress, although its com- 

 pletion has been delayed by the death of William W. Welsh, who was 

 giving special attention to the portion of the report dealing with the 

 occurrence, distribution, and life histories of the fishes. 



By joint action of the Governments of the United States, Canada, 

 and Newfoundland there has been formed during the year an Interna- 

 tional Committee on Marine Fishery Investigations, with the object 

 of bringing about a better correlation of the activities of the several 

 Governments in fishery investigations in which two or more of the 

 countries are directly interested. Knowledge of the cod and the con- 

 ditions of its perpetual conservation, for example, possesses the same 

 interest to Canada and Newfoundland as to the United States. No 

 formal cooperative effort is contemplated, but it is believed that 

 progress will be attained more rapidly and economically by regular 

 interchange of data and counsel than by entirely detached endeavor 

 on the part of each nation. The members of the committee are as 

 follows: For Canada, Mr. William A. Found, Assistant Deputy 

 Minister of Fisheries ; Dr. A. G. Huntsman, m-ember of the Biological 

 Board of Canada, and Mr. Loring C. Christie, legal adviser, Depart^ 

 ment of External Affairs, Ottawa ; for Newfoundland, Mr. D. James 

 Davies, chemist to the Nev/foundland Government; for the United 

 States, Dr. H. F. Moore, Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries, Dr. R. E. 

 Coker, assistant in charge, scientific inquirer. Bureau of Fisheries, and 

 Dr. H. B. Bigelow, consulting oceanographer. Bureau of Fisheries. 



The first meeting of the committee was held in Montreal, June 23, 

 1920, when, after full discussion, agreement was reached as to corre- 

 lation and interchange of statistical data with regard to particular 

 fishes, uniformity in methods of plankton study, and concentration 

 of attention upon certain species. 



