38 American Fisheries Society. 



creased again to its original limits. It will be a hard fight, 

 undoubtedly, but the people can have anything they want if 

 they are only willing to go after it. 



One interesting and encouraging feature of the present 

 situation is the much larger number of people who are in- 

 terested in fishing as a part of their recreation. To be sure 

 many of these are now driving long distances for the purpose 

 of trying their luck, instead of attempting to improve condi- 

 tions at home, but they will be keen to improve their own 

 waters when they see the way to do it. Sportsmen's organ- 

 izations are rapidly becoming more numerous and powerful 

 and these societies will have an excellent influence in edu- 

 cating the general public as to the ways and means of obtain- 

 ing what they want. To restore our waters to their origi- 

 nal cleanliess and productiveness should be our first organ- 

 ized effort. 



Discussion. 



President Leach: The Bureau of Fisheries has been depending 

 on Lake Erie for a certain amount of brood stock each year which it has 

 transported to its nearby fisheries stations. We have noted that we 

 have transferred also some of the parasites of which Dr. Osburn speaks; 

 some, I believe, have been sent to Neosho for Mr. Foster to contend with. 



I notice what Dr. Osburn says about Starve Island, the area of 

 which, I believe, is not more than about one half an acre. May I ask 

 Dr. Osburn whether he attributes the scarcity of bass there to the terns? 



Dr. Osburn: Bass of breeding size are caught in numbers there 

 when the angling season is on, but in the course of five years, seining 

 for investigational purposes, we have never found any young bass. 

 I am not sure whether the terns are responsible. The matter needs 

 careful investigation. 



President Leach: Have you found the same conditions regard- 

 ing the bass around Hen and Chickens Island, which are very thickly 

 inhabited by terns? 



Dr. Osburn: I have not studied the conditions affecting the Big 

 Chicken Island, where so many of the terns breed, though I have visited 

 most of the others, — the Sister Islands, Green Island, Rattlesnake Is- 

 land, etc., where the terns are not numerous and where the bass fry 

 have been taken. 



President Leach: The Bureau has sen* to its hatcheries, where 

 they are used for the propagation of smaller fish, a great many adult 

 fish taken from Lake Erie; and the State of Ohio, I understand, distrib- 

 utes a great many of these adult fish to interior waters. Do you think 

 that if that practice is continued the result will be a depletion of the 

 small-mouth bass? 



Dr. Osburn: Of course, a great many bass are caught out each 

 year by anglers and a good many are taken for the purposes you men- 



