EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. Ixvil 



the isolated efforts of the States were supplemeuted by the more 

 comprehensive co-operation of the General Government, Dr, Edmunds 

 remarks that from the first salmon-fry introduced into the Merrimac 

 River no returns have been realized. Some were seen and taken going 

 to sea, but none have returned. Some ripe salmon were taken, 

 however, at Holyoke, in the spring- of 1872, and at Saybrook, at the 

 mouth of the Connecticut; but, in his opinion, it is in vain to expect 

 much in the way of actual results, in most of the streams, at least, 

 until legislative enactments and the force of public opinion have caused 

 the erection of suitable fish-ways in the dams. 



In the earlier part of the present report (p. xviii) will be found an 

 account of what has been done in the way of multiplying the Maine sal- 

 mon, under direction of the General Government, beginning with 1872. 



The most serious artificial obstruction in any of the American rivers 

 to the upward movement of the salmon, as well as other fish, so far real- 

 ized, has proved to be the Holyoke dam at South Hadley Falls ; and a 

 persistent eftbrt has been made for many years, by the commissioners 

 of Massachusetts, aided by those of other States, to cause the powerful 

 corporation owning the dam to introduce a proper fish-way. An act of 

 the Massachusetts legislature requiring this to be done was contested 

 by the company, the suit being carried successively to the supreme 

 court of the State, and then to that of the United States. Beaten at 

 all points, the company has finally yielded gracefully to the necessity, 

 and is now actually engaged in erecting a fish-way, devised by Mr. 

 Brackett, one of the fish-commissioners of Massachusetts, in accordance 

 with the unanimous recommendation of the commissioners of all the 

 States through which the Connecticut Eiver flows. 



It will be sufficiently evident that the extent to which the restoration 

 of salmon can be made to American waters will depend very largely 

 upon the character of the obstructions, whether natural or artificial, 

 which the fish must overcome; and, in order to have at hand all the 

 data possible in this connection, I requested Dr. M. C. Edmunds, one of 

 the fish-commissioners of Vermont, and the author of the valuable report 

 from which I have just quoted, to make a special tour of Lake Cham- 

 plain and the south side of Lake Ontario, with a view of ascertaining 

 the best localities for the introduction of salmon and the character of 

 the obstructions in the rivers. This he has performed faithfully, and 

 has furnished a detailed report on the subject, with a map, which will 

 be found appended. 



About the same time Mr. Stilwell, one of the commissioners of Maine, 

 prosecuted a similar inquiry as to the obstructions in the rivers of that 

 State. His report and accompanying map are also given herewith. 

 Corresponding information of the same character in regard to the James 

 Eiver in Virginia, as also for streams in Wisconsin and Michigan, 

 tributary to Lake Michigan, has also been received ; and, with what is 

 being furnished from other localities, I hope to be able to i)reseut before 



