131 4 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



this tell the complete story of ancient fishing methods in America. I would 

 follow this with the fishing appliances of the last two centuries, so that it would 

 be possible for a student or angler to observe at a glance the complete evolution 

 of the rod, line, or hook, sinker, or the art of angling as a sport in America. 

 He could turn from the shell hook to the perfect series of modern hooks of all 

 kinds and varieties. 



In connection with this educational display of fishes, if in a large museum, 

 I would advocate the placing of a library of sport where the principal books on 

 angling from the time of Walton down to to-day could be seen or consulted 

 daily. Thus a visitor could turn from the ocular demonstration to the litera- 

 ture of the subject. I would also include a map or maps colored to show the 

 localities and distribution of all game or food fishes. Thus could be seen at 

 once the localities for tarpon, salmon, black bass, etc., as on the sportsman's 

 or angler's map published by various railroad interests. 



If the museum had special days or had lectures to teachers or others, a 

 series of lectures could be illustrated by the stereopticon, showing the great 

 trout streams of the country and the famous fishing grounds of California. 



In the field of economic fishes, interesting histories could be given and 

 illustrated by photographs, valuable fisheries to be given as types being the 

 sardine fisheries and canneries of San Pedro, Cal.; the sardine fisheries of France 

 and Italy; the tuna fisheries of Sicily; tuna fishing at Santa Catalina; jack fishing 

 in Florida; the shad fisheries of St. Johns River, St. Marys River, etc.; the vari- 

 ous fishes of New York; bluefish fishing in New England; the whitefish fisheries 

 of the Great Lakes; grouper fishing in California; sand-dab fishing at Santa Cata- 

 lina; the red-snapper fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; the mackerel fisheries of 

 Gloucester; the cod fisheries of the Grand Banks; the mullet fisheries of Florida; 

 swordfishing off Cape Cod, Block Island, etc.; all of which have their literature, 

 and photographs of which can be had to form a most interesting collection. 



Under each fish model, or facsimile, I would place a perfect skeleton of the 

 fish as before, with specimens of its scales mounted, and in the guide would be 

 given brief references telling the story of the economic value of the fish, its use 

 as food for other fishes, or as guano, as in the case of dogfishes on the Maine 

 coast. 



In this connection some data should be collected to show the work of private 

 organizations, the national and the state governments in stocking streams and 

 otherwise aiding the interests of the angler and commercial fisherman, so that 

 there would be represented the evolution of angling and the complete history 

 of the fishes, either in sport or in economics, not as a dry and prosaic exhibit, 

 but as a great popular picture of a valuable public interest. 



