The Legislative Act, under which the Conservation Department
now operates, was enacted in 1935 and all control and executive func-
tions of this Department are vested in a Conservation Commission.
The Commission consists of three members, two of which are of the
same political party. The Commission is appointed by the Governor,
with the consent of the Senate, for a term of four years from the first
Monday in June, 1935. (Ch. 523, Act 1935.)

The Department formulates and effectuates conservation activities
and enforces the laws governing the natural resources of the Chesa-
peake Bay and its tidewater, and maintains a research laboratory
at Solomons Island, Maryland. Pertinent literature is issued con-
cerning conservation and rehabilitation of the natural resources
as well as the laws regulating the industries and involving the sea-
sons, catch limitations, gears, devices, equipment and matters per-
taining to leasing, pollution control, etc. Its duties include cooperation
with neighboring states in the maintenance of and rehabilitation of
migratory commercial and sport forms that contribute to the resources
of the State. In addition, the problem of hatcheries, as a part of
the conservation activities on marine fishes and terrapin, is a part
of the program of the Department. The research work of its labora-
tory is largely biological in nature and deals with the fundamental
facts of marine life and the principles underlying sound conservation
practices.

CHESAPEAKE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

Dr. R. V. Truitt, Director and State Biologist. ................... Solomons
David H. Wallace, Associate Fishery Biologist.................... Solomons
Dr. Rodney A. Olsen, Associate Biologist........................ Solomons
Elizabeth McFarland Wallace, Assistant................................. Solomons

The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, located on Solomons Island,
in the mid-region of the Chesapeake Bay Country, is making marked
progress as an institution for wild life research and study of natural
resources indigenous to the State. In progress at the Solomons Island
institution are investigations into pertinent problems concerning
crabs, oysters, fish and certain of their related forms and enemies.
In the management of the laboratory, several colleges and indepen-
dent institutions are cooperating, to wit: University of Maryland,
Johns Hopkins University, Western Maryland College, Washington
College, Goucher College, and the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

The following courses were offered as class work to advanced under-
graduates and to graduate students during the 1939 session: Algae,
Economic Zoology, Protozoology, ichthyology, Invertebrates, Biolog-
ical Problems, and Biological Survey of the Solomons Island Region.
Class work is limited to eight students in these various subjects re-
lating to local problems. Students are accepted on the basis of inter-
est and scholorship, special consideration being given to those from
cooperating institutions and to Maryland high school teachers.
Instructional work is planned to the end of effecting a greater interest
in the facts and principles of conservation. All research problems
are associated with the resources of the State. Original work rather
than formal classes is encouraged.

Pollution studies, both field and laboratory, chemical and biological,
are in progress in several parts of the State, while intensive work
of this type is being done in the Patapsco region, where industrial
and other wastes are intense.