27 



our northern streams contained, and do not seem to have 

 received any special attention from the commission. 



The beauties of cUmate and scenery of the upper portion 

 of the lower peninsula of Michigan, and the extended reputa- 

 tion of its rivers and brooks for fine fishing, had called to 

 their banks sportsmen, from all over our own state and from 

 neighboring states, in such numbers as to rapidly diminish 

 the supply of trout, and the Fish Commission, ere they had 

 been but a few years at work, were earnestly importuned to 

 replenish the fished-out streams that had been but a short time 

 before the glory and pride of the man with rod and reel. 



The laws for the preservation of Brook-Trout were not very 

 carefully observed, the state had no fish-wardens to look after 

 its interests, and numberless anglers carried from their native 

 streams or killed upon its waters thousands of fish that were 

 too small for table use and only served to add volumes to the 

 marvelous fish-stories they told when at home. 



In 1878 — 9, there w^ere upon the trays of Pokagon about 

 300,000 Brook-Trout eggs ; of these 250,000 had been pur- 

 chased, as demands for trout fry had been coming in from 

 various parts of the state. The Commission had now become 

 convinced that this delicate fish could be raised to advantage, 

 and had resolved to give it a greater share of their attention* 



For some reason, which they themselves did not then 

 understand, but 15,000 of this large number of eggs were 

 hatched. Again in 1879 — ^'^> ^^^ Commissioners made an- 

 other purchase of eggs, and 170,000 had the close and careful 

 attention of the superintendent during the winter ; but with 

 the same disastrous results, " the eggs died rapidly, and after 

 hatching, the little fish died by thousands before the food ves- 

 cicle was absorbed." Here was a poser for the fish-breeders. 

 This stream which they had looked upon but a few years be- 

 fore as one of the most desirable in the state for fish-propaga- 

 tion had not met their expectations. The clear, limpid waters 

 which had given every hope of success to the commissioners, 

 contained some hidden poison that was almost certain death 



