MEETING OF COMMITTEE ON SIZE OF FISH, 

 AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY 



Washington, D. C, September 2Ist, 1908, 6 P. M., at Arlington Hotel. 



The committee consisted of Mr. Frank X. Clark, of Xorth- 

 ville, Mich., chairman ; Mr. W. F. Meehan, Harrisburg, Pa. ; Dr. 

 S. P. Bartlett, Quincy, 111. ; Mr. Charles G. Atkins, East Orland, 

 Mo.; Mr. J. Frank Ellis, Washington, D. C, (substituted for 

 Mr. John W. Titcomb, Washington, D. C. ) ; Mr. Seymour Bower 

 (substituted for Dr. Hugh M. Smith, president of the American 

 Fisheries Society), and Mr. Henry T. Eoot, Providence, P. I. 



There were also present a large number of the members of 

 the American Fisheries Society, who had been invited by the 

 chairman to attend. • 



The following proceedings were had : 



Chairman : This is a meeting on the size of fish, and the 

 committee are now ready to hear from any who wish to make any 

 statement in regard to the size of the fish, and the committee 

 will have a chance to discuss it too. 



Mr. Bower: I judge from what Dr. Bartlett said at the 

 meeting of the society that he had something of importance to 

 present with reference to the present standard. 



Dr. Bartlett: It gives me pleasure to talk upon this matter 

 in tlie presence of my old time friend, Clark, and while our in- 

 terests may run counter as to the size of fish, I have some decided 

 ideas as to the ])roper nunil)ering of them. 



As you all know, my work is ])racticaly the work of collecting 

 and distributing black liass. The conditions in Illinois are that, 

 the water is too warm to sustain the life of the trout, the tem- 

 ])eratnre often reaching eiglity or ninety degrees. Consequently 

 our ])lack bass grow large very early, and it is not uncommon at 

 the end of October to find black bass of that year's spawning 

 weighing anywhere from six to eight ounces, and occasionally 

 ten ounces. The earliest product that we take will probably be 

 one inch in length. We have our orders to ship a careload of 



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