REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 45 
shores, the inquiries being extended into the creeks, ponds, sloughs, 
_and other waters adjacent to the lakes. 
ARKANSAS. 
Beginning in the summer of 1891, Prof. S. E. Meek, of the Arkansas 
Industrial University, has carried on, from time to time, in the interests 
of the United States Fish Commission, important observations relating 
tothe fishes of Arkansas. In his report upon these inquiries ', Professor 
Meek has described the principal characteristics of the several rivers 
and of the more conspicuous springs for which some parts of the State 
are noted, and has given complete annotated lists of the fishes which 
are now known to occur in four of the principal river basins, the White 
River having a total of 84 species, the Little Red River 58 species, the 
Arkansas River 61 species, and the Illinois River 31 species. 
The following remarks are extracted from Professor Meek’s report: 
From an ichthyological standpoint Arkansas is well favored. The State is bordered 
on the east by the Mississippi, and has four large navigable rivers flowing through it. 
Two of these rivers, with most of their tributaries, rise in the Ozark Mountains 
within the boundaries of the State. These streams are fed by many large and 
beautiful springs, whose waters are cool enough for the mountain trout, their suit- 
ability being well demonstrated by the success which has attended trout-culture at 
the several hatcheries already mentioned. In fact, it has been proven not only that 
trout will thrive in the Ozark Mountain region, but that their growth there is much 
more rapid than in some other places farther north, where their artificial cultivation 
is being carried on. The important question for the consideration of the practical 
fish-culturist is, how many pounds of fish he can secure from a certain number of 
eggs within a given period and with the least expenditure of artificial food. The 
records of the Neosho hatchery clearly indicate that fish-culture can be conducted 
successfully in this direction. While the mountain streams bid fair to contain an 
abundance of trout in the near future, the larger and more sluggish waters are well 
suited to the coarser food-fishes native to the State, the most important among them 
being the black bass, wall-eyed pike, eastern pickerel (Lucius reticulatus), buftalo- 
fishes, etc. Al] of the important rivers mentioned supply many fishes to the markets 
every year, and they may continue to do so if assistance shall be given toward 
restoring, so far as possible, the balance of life in favor of those species which man 
has done so much to destroy. 
There is no doubt that Arkansas possesses piscatorial features of a high grade, 
which warrant more attention in the future than they have received in the past. 
The angler may find amusement along the picturesque streams of the Ozark Moun- 
tains, while the fish-culturist will come to recognize in this region one of his richest 
fields in North America. Arkansas is as yet only thinly settled, and a thorough 
exploration of the streams of the State before their faunze have been much changed 
by cultivation would be of great economic and scientific interest. The increase and 
protection of her food-fishes, both the native and introduced species, can not be suc- 
cessfully accomplished without a more complete knowledge of the physical and 
natural-history features of the streams, and it is to be hoped that the means for 
making such a survey will not long be delayed. 
1Report of investigations respecting the fishes of Arkansas, conducted during 
1891, 1892, and 1893, with a synopsis of previous explorations in thesame State. By 
Seth Eugene Meek. Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. for 1894, pp. 67-94. 
