American Fislteries Society. 59 



inches long, and then we commence to call llu'iu fiiigerlings. 

 We have got to e.staljlish a point somewhere. 



Mr. Clark : About how old are the}^ ? 



Mr. Lydell: Abont 40 days old. 



Mr. Clark: Then one tliat Avas 15 to 20 days old you would 

 not call a fingerling? 



A. No, sir. 



Q. I would like to ask the question: Ts not a large-mouth 

 bass as perfect a fish at 15 to 20 days old in a temperature of 

 water at 70 degTees, as one three months old ? 



A. It is at 20 days as perfect a bass as at three years. 



Q. I would like to ask further, if you do not think that 

 this fish planted in that water is equally as good with the excep- 

 tion of the protection you give to it, as one three to six nioiitlis 

 old ? 



A. A"es, sir. 



Mr. Clark: Tho society Avill perhaps remember llial ! liave 

 always been a yearling man, l)ut I am not so considering bass. 

 Gentlemen, this is the point I am trying to get at. 1 do not 

 like to see it undertaken to raise only about 50,090 fnigerlings 

 out of a half million fry, for I heard one superintendent say 

 last night that it took half a million with him to raise 50,000 

 fingerlings. Xoav, if these fish are as well and ])erfect at the 

 age of 20 days, and Mr. Lydell can plant 300,000 out of 500,000 

 at that time, and only 50,000 from three to six months old. then 

 I think it is time that the matter was looked into. 



Mr. Stranahan: 1 am of Mr. Clark's opinion, tliorougldv. 

 I have been advocating it for two years — made recommendations, 

 and have written official reports urging the ])lanting of these 

 smaller bass. They are perfect Ijass, they are taking their food, 

 they are old enough and smart enough to take care of themselves, 

 and they are afraid of their enemies. Our former chief of fish 

 culture was a great stickler for fingerling. and the larger the 

 better, and we had it out in numerous discussions, and I am 

 glad to say that our new chief of division seems to be in favor 

 of planting smaller flsli and more of them. I refer to the large- 

 mouth l)ass— T have had little experience witli the small-mouth 

 variety. I had some experience north some years ago, and got 

 good results from planting fry in streams in whieli tlie (isli were 



