THE PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD FISHES IN 1905. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The principal function of the Bureau of Fisheries, the maintenance 

 and increase of the available supply of aquatic food products, has 

 its largest fulfilment in the artificial propagation and distribution of 

 fish and eggs. The extensive and depleting commercial fisheries for 

 a number of species and the constantly growing demand for food 

 and game fishes for stocking private lakes and streams have led to 

 such an enlargement of the field of operations that about fifty spe- 

 cies are now cultivated, the list including the principal fishes of all 

 parts of the country. Nor is the work confined to the hatching and 

 rearing of fish by artificial methods. A very important feature is the 

 rescue of young fishes from the overflowed lands in the Mississippi Val- 

 ley, where they would be lost when the waters recede, for the sloughs, 

 cut off from the river, become dry in the heat of summer or freeze in 

 winter. Furthermore, some of the most valuable and far-reaching 

 results have come from the acclimatization of nonindigenous fishes 

 in various waters. 



SPECIES CULTIVATED AND DISTRIBUTED.' 



The following species, listed by families, were handled in 1905: 



The catfisiies (Siluridjs): 



*§ Spotted cat, blue cat, channel cat (Ictalurus punctalus). 

 * § Horned pout, bullhead, yellow cat (Ameiurus nebulosus). 



* Marbled cat (Ameiurus nebulosus marmoratus). 



§ Black cat (Ameiurus melas). 



The -suckers and buffalofisiies (Catostomid^e) : 



§ Buffalofishes, chiefly Ictiobus bubalus. 

 The minnows and carps (Cyprinid.e): 

 f || Carp (Cyprinus carpia). 

 % || Goldfish (Caras&ius auratus). 



\ || Tench (Tinea tinea). Cultivated variety, golden tench. 

 X || Ide (Leuciscus idus). Cultivated variety, golden ide. 



The shads and herrings (Clupeid.e): 

 *Shad (Alosa sapidissima). 



a The fishes artificially propagated are designated thus, *; those simply collected and 

 distributed, thus, §; those propagated as food for other fishes, thus, f; those propagated 

 for ornamental purposes, thus, J; and introduced species, thus, ||. 



