235 



of supplying the markets, but this is not the case, and 

 while pound nets misappropriate the common stock, they 

 overwork the fisheries, however prolific they may be, and 

 in the end exhaust the supply. The more fish there are, 

 the more are taken ; none escape but the very few who 

 follow the exact center of the channel. Not enough are 

 left to keep up the breed, the habits of spawning are 

 directly interfered with, the fishing begins to deteriorate, 

 it never lasts but a few years, and at the close leaves that 

 entire section of water absolutely bare offish, dependent 

 upon accident or the laborious efforts of man for its 

 possible restoration. 



Against this unfair appropriation of public property, 

 the people have a manifest right to protest and legislate, 

 and the question of investments of property in so glaring 

 a wrong is not to be considered for a moment. The pro- 

 cess has been permitted to go too far already, and the 

 sooner it is stopped the more will be saved to the com- 

 munity. It has caused much harm, and is daily continu- 

 ing its injurious work. In the New York Fishery reports 

 reference has been made to many localities where the 

 fishing, once excellent, was ruined by this process. 

 The list can be extended every year. 



Fallacious, views have existed as to the migratory habits 

 of fish. It has been supposed that they were accustomed 

 to make long journeys, that they traveled up and down 

 rivers, moved from shore to shore of broad lakes, and 

 even crossed the ocean. The motions of anadromous fish 

 had probably furnished ground for this opinion, but even 

 as to them the impression is essentially incorrect. Shad 

 appear first in the spring in the rivers of our southern 

 states; as the season advances they begin to be taken in 

 more northerly waters till in June and July they visit 

 the streams of New England and then close their career, 



