PROTECTION OF FISH. 191 



gation to ascertain how much money is paid yearly 

 in the City of New York for the wild deer and 

 game birds of the west, the sea fishes of our coast, 

 the finer varieties of our inland waters, and the sal- 

 mon of Canada. The latter, alone, amounts to 

 hundreds of thousands of dollars, and is a severe 

 tax paid to a foreign country for the fatuity that 

 drove those noble fish from our own rivers. 



This vast source of revenue will, however, disap- 

 pear, unless precautions are taken to prevent the 

 untimely slaughter of these unprotected creatures. 

 If their periods of incubation are disregarded, their 

 nests and spawning-beds broken up, and themselves, 

 when engaged in the duties of maternity, disturbed 

 or slain, they will diminish rapidly till the forests 

 shall cease to be vocal with their harmony, and the 

 water animated with their gambols. 



In England not only do game preserves produce 

 a good rent from enthusiastic sportsmen, but the 

 fisheries, particularly of salmon, are extremely valu- 

 able as commercial enterprises. At present, in our 

 our country, we only recognise the value of these 

 advantages by their loss. The Tay produces a 

 rental of $70,000 yearly for the salmon fisheries, 

 and so profitable have fishing rights become, that 

 several rivers that were once exhausted have been 

 restored, and now yield large revenues. 



If we would have salmon at our own doors, we 

 also must restock the Merrimack, Connecticut, and 

 the numerous other rivers that were once frequented 

 by them. But the trout and the black bass are still 



