17 



point of des23airing of ever accomplishing anything in the 

 way of tish and game protection by law." 



Mr. Seal said : "I think the increase in shad-hatching 

 on the Atlantic coast is a case that points to possibility. 

 It is a matter that is familiar to all the members of the 

 United States Fish Commission, bnt perhaps to a number 

 of others there is nothing known about it. In 1885 the 

 catch was in the neighborhood of 5,000,000. Last year it 

 was estimated at 10,000,000, and appears to be increasing 

 at the rate of a million a year. The output of shad fry by 

 the United States Fish Commission alone is now so great, 

 that if seven or eight out of each one hundred survive 

 they will equal the entire shad catch of the Atlantic coast. 

 On the Pacific coast the catch is becoming as abundant as 

 on the Atlantic." 



Mr. Cheney said : "I understand what has been done in 

 the way of increasing the shad and whitelish, but I would 

 like to know if the gentleman ever expects to stock a stream 

 with brook trout in one night." 



Mr. Seal said : " Certainly, not." 



Captain Collins here presented his paper entitled " The 

 Fisheries at the World's Fair." Before reading, he said, 

 " I had expected from Henry Ives Cobb, the architect of 

 the Fisheries Building, the plans of the buildings, which 

 I desired this Society to see, so that a good idea could be 

 be formed of them. I have been disappointed in this, 

 though I understand the plans are now being printed on a 

 reduced scale, and it will be possible for me in a few days 

 to send them to all members of the Society, and to others 

 who are interested in making an exhibit in Chicago in 

 1893." 



After the reading of the j^aper the Chair called for dis- 

 cussion. 



Dr. Parker said : ' ' Regarding the matter of influence 

 of flsh in settling the country, I think the most direct 

 illustration of that is in the effect that the brook trout has 



