I -REPORT ON THE FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES ; THE RE- 

 SULT OF INQUIRIES PROSECUTED IN 1871 AND 1872. 



By Ja:\ies W. Milxer. 



A— INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



1.— 'OUTLINE OF OPERATIONS. 



In carryiug out the work allotted to me in the region of the great 

 lakes, in 1871, 1 made a tour of the entire shore of Lake Michigan and 

 the islands, visiting nearly every fishing locality, gathering testimony 

 of the fishermen as to the present condition of the fisheries, its compari- 

 son with former years, the kinds of nets in use and their effect on the 

 numbers of the fish, and the opinion of the net-owners as to the influence 

 of protective legislation. The visit to the fishing-grounds afforded op- 

 portunities for acquiring information in the modes of fishing, the spe^ 

 cies captured, and some knowledgef of their habits, of which I availed 

 myself as far as I could. A collection was made, embracing nearly all 

 the species of the lake, which was, unfortunately, lost with the building of 

 the Academy of Sciences in the great fire of that year in Chicago. 



On being notified by you that the revenue-steamer Johnson vrould afford 

 facilities for dredging, I went on board with a dredging outfit in Septem- 

 ber, after returning from the north shore of the lake, and remained with 

 the steamer during a cruise of two weeks, dredging whenever it was- 

 possible, though the stormy weather during the trip prevented as exten- 

 sive work as was desirable. Enough was done, however, to obtain a 

 knowledge of the general distribution of invertebrate forms throughout 

 all depths, and a collection of crustaceans, uiollusks, and insect larvse 

 secured, which met| the same fate as the collection of fishes in the fire,. 

 The late Dr. Stimjison had previously identified most of the species as. 

 the same as those of his own collection on a dredging expedition in 

 1870. The general distribution of white-fish food throughout the lake^ 

 bottom was sufficiently^ established. 



Iq 1872 localities on Lake Superior were visited, a collection of the 

 fishes obtained, and ample notes of their habits recorded. The fisheries 

 of Detroit River and a portion of Lake Erie were examined, and informa- 

 tion gathered with reference to fishing-interests, and specimens of the 

 fishes preserved. From Detroit River a quantity of white-fish spawn was. 

 obtained and impregnated and placed in the troughs of Mr. N. "W. Clark's* 

 hatching-house at Clarkston, Mich., with which gentleman a contract 

 S. Mis. 71 1 



