\ 



Broivn. — Adjustment of Environment vs. Stocking. 143 



reasons. For one, improved facilities of transportation bring 

 formerly inaccessible places within easy reach, thereby prevent- 

 ing realization of the increased energy expended to obtain fish. 

 For another, the changes coming with the slow passage of the 

 years are usually so gradual as to deceive ; but, should someone 

 remember and speak of former abundance, what happens? The 

 new generations of anglers growing up are inclined to regard 

 statements of their immediate predecessors which concern larger 

 catches, both in size and number of individuals, as intended more 

 to impress than edify, or, if they do consider the statements as 

 seriously intended, attribute them rather to that state of mind, 

 sometimes found in those of advancing years, which rather fails 

 to find anything quite so good or as plentiful as in years gone by. 

 Whatever the reasons may be, it is time that vigorous and 

 cooperative action extending our fish culture to include progres- 

 sive adjustment of waters should be taken by everyone who is 

 in the slightest degree interested in the preservation of our 

 fishes, especially the game species, from gradual but certain 

 elimination. Inasmuch as streams are less subject to control 

 than lakes, it is upon the latter that the first pitched battles in 

 the coming struggle of defense must be fought. Our ultimate 

 object should be to learn how to develop, from any starting 

 point, the ideal body of water whereon the angler shall be the 

 only limiting factor. The day may come when a war of con- 

 quest will carry our victorious arms, or fins if you prefer, into 

 the great river systems, but for the present our backs are to the 

 wall to win out on our ponds and lakes. It is here we must stand, 

 and fall if necessary, to preserve one of the most remarkable 

 heritages of fish life that evolution has yet produced. 



Discussion. 



Mr. C. F. Culler, Homer, Minn. : Mr. Brown spoke of the poor old 

 carp. Did he mean to suggest that the carp was a bad citizen all ovet 

 the country, or was he referring to some particular place? 



Mr. Brown: I think in general that the presence of the carp has a 

 bad effect upon our native fishes. In localities where other fishes would not 

 naturally be able to maintain themselves, of course there would be no 

 objection to the carp. 



Mr. Culler : The poor old fellow has been condemned from all quarters , 

 but have you ever stopped to realize that the carp and the buffalo in the 

 Mississippi Valley are of the greatest economic value to that section of 

 the country; that there are more pounds of these species of fish caught 



