Fish Culturists^ Association. 25 



We have a fish here, called by the fishermen mullet^ of the sucker 

 family. This fish ranks next to the trout in quality ; the color 

 ranges from a deep red to a dark green, and is nearly as light on the 

 belly as the trout. The usual weight is about one and one-half 

 pounds, increasing to five pounds. Full-grown spawn is found in 

 February and June. From the vent forward, few bones are found ; 

 behind the vent there are quite a number of small ones. 



The sucker, the most inferior fish we have, is somewhat lighter 

 than tlie mullet, and nearly the same shape and size, being very 

 bony ; some portions of the bones are bound in bunches by a circular 

 bone. 



The chub, of the perch family, is of a dark lead color on the back, 

 and light silver on the belly ; the average weight is about one pound, 

 increasing to two pounds. These fish are about the same in quality 

 as the Atlantic perch; they spawn about the same time as trout. 

 The mountain herring, or silver sides, is of a bright silver color ; has 

 few bones, and is of good quality, but very scarce. Adults weigh 

 from one-quarter to one-half of a pound. 



Occasionally there is a small fish caught, that appears to be one of 

 the cat-fish family ; it weighs about two ounces. This fish is very 

 scarce, and of inferior quality. 



NATIONAL FISH CULTURE. 



The following is the annual report of Hon. Spencer F. Baird, 

 United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, for the year 1872 : 



This report was printed early in the present year in another form, 

 but it contains so much that is important and interesting on the sub- 

 ject of fish culture that no apology is needed for its insertion in con- 

 nection with the papers of the association. 



At a meeting of the Association of American Fish Culturists and 

 of State Fish Commissioners, held in Albany in February, 1872, it 

 was determined to make application to Congress for assistance in 

 stocking the greater rivers and lakes of the United States with useful 

 food fishes, on the ground that, whatever the several States might be 

 willing to do for themselves respectively, they were not ready to 

 enter upon any measures the benefit of which would inure partially, 

 or perhaps exclusively, to the citizens of other States. 



It was also believed that much remained to be done in the way of 



