American Fisheries Society. 15 



York ports, and they were fishing there still. And I said, 3^011 

 can't expect us to ahide by that unless you secure legislation that 

 will give you the same close season tliat we have here. We can- 

 not stick to that — the same waters, same fish — and they thought 

 that they would get legislation ; that they would have a close 

 season on the waters of Lake Erie ; l)ut when the next following 

 season came around they were fishing there — no such laws at alL 

 And I will say for Mr. Meehan, because I presume most of you 

 come in touch at different times, that he was very anxious to 

 secure uniformity, and have Pennsylvania do her full share in 

 bringing it about, and a little more. But we impressed him with 

 the idea that we would not stand for it here, and I was right 

 after him, and he had to give in. He is anxious to have the best 

 here that is possible for Erie, but I thought he had done his 

 full share for the state in trying to secure that end, and he had 

 a turl)ulent lot of fellows up here to deal with — myself one of 

 them, you know (laughter), and so Ave have the close season 

 again. I trust, gentlemen, you may accomplish something in 

 this line of uniformity in legislation. I thank you for your at- 

 tention. (Applause.) 



" President pro tern. : Gentlemen of the Association, I presume 

 many of you noticed a change in my countenance as I was sitting 

 here, about three or four or five minutes ago. There certainly 

 was, I felt it. While the mayor and president of the senate were 

 giving us such a hearty welcome, I was thinking, after viewing 

 this program here, what I was going to do, and after such a 

 hearty welcome I did not know what I was going to give you in 

 response. But now, as you all know, I am very glad to escort 

 our honored president to his chair. (x\pplause.) 



Prof. E. A. Birge, President of the Association, Avas escorted 

 to the chair by Mr. Clark. 



President: I think this is taking a rather mean advantage. 

 It is not the first time that Erie has taken advantage of me, for 

 I find that the sun gets up an hour earlier here than the rail- 

 road, and, while I had expected to get in here an hour before the 

 time scheduled for the meeting, I find I am a few minutes late. 



I greatly regret, sir, that I was not present when you were 



