56 Ti^'eitty-sci'ciifh Ainnial Meeting 



the entire open season would not of course be wise, nor is it 

 necessary. But to hold on to the present closed season is to 

 "go forward backwards" with accelerated speed. Under the 

 conditions that obtain throughout the Great Lakes, a closed 

 spawning season for whiteiish and lake trout is simply suicidal. 

 By a false pretense, like a wolf in sheep's clothing, a closed 

 spawning season for many kinds of fish does not protect but 

 destroys them. 



If we haven't enough hatcheries to shelter all the ripe ova 

 available, the remedy is not to force the hatcheries already es- 

 tablished to close by preventing the capture of spawning fish, 

 Init to provide additional capacity, so that all the ova that it is 

 possible to reach may be transferred from a scene of tumult 

 and anarchy, ma}' be rescued from the riot and chaos of nature's 

 savagerv and brought under the l)eneficent and fostering care 

 of man. 



Mr. Whitaker : Before it is overlooked. I think the matter 

 had better be taken up that was laid over, to designate some one 

 to represent this society in response to the letter of Mr. Cacheaux. 

 I present the name of Prof. Birgc to represent this society in 

 that capacity. 



Mr. Clark : I will say that I am going to try to go to the 

 Paris Exposition. 



Mr. Whitaker : I suggest in addition to Prof. Birge. the name 

 of Mr. F. N. Clark to act on that committee. 



Mr. Bower : I would suggest also the name of Mr. Whita- 

 ker. 



Mr. Stranahan : T move that three be appointed — Prof. 

 Birge, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Whitaker — to attend and represent 

 this society on the committee referred to in the communication. 



The motion was seconded and carried. 



Mr. Whitaker then read a paper l)y Mr. Livingston Stone, 

 Superintendent of the United States Fish Commission Station, 

 Cape Vincent, N. Y., on "The Origin of the American Fisheries 

 Society," which follows: 



THE ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. 



On the first day of November, 1870, the following call was 

 sent to various persons who were known to be interested in the 

 culture of trout : 



