J. PISCICULTURE AND THE FISHERIES. 411 



them, they will accomplish an important feat in fish propaga- 

 tion, as, so far, the most careful manipulation has been unsuc- 

 cessful. Even where the fish have been caught in large seines, 

 and simply lifted by net or by hand into an adjacent in- 

 closure for the purpose of keeping them until the eggs were 

 entirely mature, they have always died in a very short time, 

 possibly owing to the extent to which the scales become de- 

 tached, and the consequent injury to the system. 



SECOND REPORT OF THE FISH COMMISSIONERS OF VERMONT. 



The report of the Fish Commissioners of the State of Ver- 

 mont (Drs. Edmunds and Goldsmith) for 1874 (being their 

 second) has been published by the Legislature, and contains 

 an account of the measures adopted by the Commissioners for 

 restocking the rivers of the state with useful food fishes. 

 The importance of this interest to the state is shown, accord- 

 ing to this report, by the large water area possessed by Ver- 

 mont in proportion to its entire extent, there being scarcely 

 a town without some natural body of water in it, susceptible 

 of being made profitable to the people if suitably stocked 

 with fish. According to their estimate there are 145 natural 

 ponds in the state, having an area of 50 acres and upward, 

 making an aggregate of over 77,000 acres now inhabited by 

 worthless kinds offish, of no economical importance. These 

 can be filled, after a time, with suitable species, adding much 

 to the resources of the state. The action of the Commission- 

 ers has related more particularly to the introduction of shad 

 and salmon, which, with the assistance of the United States 

 Commissioner of Fisheries, they have been enabled to effect 

 on a large scale ; the aggregate of 35,000 California salmon, 

 160,000 Maine salmon, and 775,000 shad having been safely 

 planted in the waters of the state during the year. 



FIRST REPORT OF THE FISH COMMISSIONERS OF WISCONSIN. 



In the spring of 1874 Messrs. William Welch, A. Palmer, 

 and R. R. Hoy were appointed by the Governor of Wisconsin 

 Fish Commissioners of the state, in compliance with an act 

 of the Legislature. Their first report has now been publish- 

 ed, in which- they give an account of their labor during the 

 year. In consequence of the late period at which their ap- 

 pointment was made, and the limited amount of money at 



