188 Americafi Fisheries Society 



which have no value even as food for the commercial or 

 sport species, but on the other hand are to a greater or 

 less extent destructive to the young of such, and of their 

 food. But, even if they were valuable in some respect or 

 other, the numbers of them that would be taken for scien- 

 tific purposes — which would properly include aquarium 

 stock — would be relatively so small as to be insignificant. 

 Dr. Theodore Gill once said to the writer, "It is a shame 

 that we know so little of our commonest fishes." And in 

 his paper, "A Plea for the Observation of the Habits of 

 Fishes, and Against Undue Generalization," read before 

 the Fourth International Fishery Congress, he says, "We 

 have still much to learn about our most common and long- 

 est known species." 



Surely if there is any value in nature study, the obser- 

 vation of our fishes should rank as high as any other 

 phase of it and should receive, at least, encouragement 

 from those most directly interested — the fish culturists 

 and the fishermen. Yet, without a restricted permit, 

 which but few are able to get from the various state fish 

 commissions, an aquarium fancier may not catch a pair 

 of 4-spined sticklebacks for observation, and yet this is 

 one of the most insignificant and absolutely worthless 

 species from any other viewpoint than that of nature 

 study, but from that one of the most interesting. In the 

 State of Pennsylvania the holder of a permit is required 

 to make a report at the end of the year specifying thfe 

 use he has made of it. 



It is apparent from a circular letter recently received 

 from the President of the American Fisheries Society 

 that there is an increasing lack of popular interest in the 

 objects of the society as evidenced by an apparent loss 

 of membership. Many years ago in a paper read before 

 this society the writer outlined a plan of organization 

 tending to popularize the society and the work of fish 

 culture and fish protection. This was merely a sugges- 

 tion which might or might not have proven practicable, 

 but it was given merely for the purpose of stimulating 

 consideration and discussion of the subject. But it ap- 



