American Fisheries Society 47 



Mr. Titcomb: I will give my share toward the publica- 

 tion of such an index. I think it is worth a great deal, as 

 it will save much needless repetition. We can look back and 

 see what has been said, and what has been settled will not 

 have to be repeated. 



Acting Secretary : One feature of the index I have in 

 mind is a history of each member's connection with the So- 

 ciety, insofar as it can he obtained from the records, in- 

 cluding both present and past members. 



Mr. Titcomb: Of course, that is desirable for the use of 

 the Secretary, but we ought to have an index, accessible to 

 every member, of the subjects discussed here from time 

 immemorial. I mean that we will take up a discussion on 

 trout and somebody will break off into bass and we get some 

 good meat on bass; but it is absolutely lost for all time after 

 it is buried in the proceedings, unless you pore over the 

 whole thing to get it. Now what I want to see is a topical 

 index of the papers and matter contained in the discussions 

 from the time the Transactions were first published to the 

 present day. I am ready to subscribe my share towards 

 having a card index of that kind prepared. 



Acting Secretary: To be in the Secretary's hands? 



Mr. Titcomb : I mean an index to be in the Secretary's 

 hands, and when printed have copies for the rest of us, so 

 lliat each member can have it to file with the Society's 

 reports. 



Acting Secretary: That is more elaborate than 1 at 

 first contemplated. 



Mr. Titcomb: We have not time enough to pore over 

 all the Society's publications which at present is necessary 

 if we want to carefully work up a subject. If we have a 

 complete topical index much labor will be saved. Take, 

 for instance, yesterday; we began with Professor Forbes' 

 paper on the Illinois River and landed up in the lumber 

 region of Canada. We want references to show that the 

 discussion included views on the effect of running logs and 

 emptying sawdust into streams. Likewise e^•cry time that 



