Aiiicncaii I'lslicrics Society. IS 



I ask the indulgence of the nicnibers. I also crave the indul- 

 g-ence of some of the \\':stern members for taxing their patience 

 with ])ersistcut personal a])])eals for contri])ulicins f(jr this meet- 

 ing, the Eastern members ])cing left to the tender mercies of die 

 President. 



The active membership list as furnished ])v the Treasurer, 

 and published in the report for 1899. contains 184 names, a net 

 gain of 28 over the preceding year. A noticeal)le feature in 

 connection with the published list is the date of admission to 

 membership, so far as this could be ascertained by the Treasurer. 

 I suggest to members who may have knowledge of the missing 

 dates that they communicate with the Treasurer at their earliest 

 convenience. 



I am unable to state the exact number of names that were 

 dropped this year for non-payment of dues ; nor have I the data 

 showing tlie number of resignations and deaths. Conspicuous 

 in the list of the latter are the names of Col. Fred blather and 

 H'erschel Whitaker. the former one of the founders of the 

 Society, the latter an ex-President and ex-Secretarv, and both 

 widely known through their contrilnitions to the literature of 

 fish-cultural and kindred subjects, and I suggest that suitable 

 action thereon be taken by the Society. 



The report for 1899 \\as printed at the lowest competitive 

 Itid, 75 cents per page for 50b copies, or eight cents less per page 

 than the report for i8<j8, bringing the cost of the entire edition 

 for 1899 below $100. These reports were not completed and 

 ready for mailing until early in December, the issue being 

 delayed in part by my absence from headquarters for days and 

 weeks at a time, and for other reasons. 



Partly through the advice of the President, and partly on 

 mv own judgment, a more liberal policy in the matter of dis- 

 tributing reports has been adopted. Of the edition for 1899, 434 

 copies have been disposed of, leaving 66 on hand. I have also 

 distributed about 100 copies of back reports to members, on ap- 

 plication. 



