68 



and liis forecast of the progress to be expected in lish 

 cultural development. 



Concerning the influence of civilized man on the abun- 

 dance of animal life, he said (Fish Cultural Report, 1878, 

 p. 45) : 



" It may be safely said that wherever the white man 

 I)lants his foot, and the so-called civilization of a country 

 is begun, the inhabitants of the air, the land, and the 

 water begin to disai:)pear. The bird seeks a new abiding 

 place under the changed conditions of the old ; but the 

 return of the season brings him again within the danger- 

 ous influence, until taught by several years of experience 

 that his only safety is in a new home. The quadruped is 

 less fortunate in this respect, environed as he is by more 

 or less impassable restrictions, such as lofty mountains, 

 deep rivers and lakes, and abrupt precipices, and sooner 

 or later reaches the point of comparative extinction, or 

 reduction to such limited numbers as not to invoke a con- 

 tinuance of special attack. 



The flsh, overwhelmingly numerous at flrst, begin to 

 feel the fatal influence in even less time than the classes 

 already mentioned, especially such species as belong to 

 the fresh waters and have a comparatively limited range. 

 The case of this rapid deterioration is not to be found in 

 a rational and reasonable destruction for purposes of food, 

 of material for clothing, or for other needs. The savage 

 tribes, although more dependent for sui)port upon the 

 animals of the field and forest than the white man, will 

 continue for centuries in their neighborhood without seri- 

 (msly diminishing their numbers. It is only as the result 

 of wanton destruction for purposes of sport, or for the 

 acquisition of some limited portion only of the animal, 

 that a notable reduction is produced, and the ultimate ten- 

 dency to extinction initiated. 



Of the abundance of animal life in North America in 

 the primitive days of its occupation by the European 



