NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. ime) 
New York I found that the Bieqehanin and Delaware rivers, 
and nearly allof the other rivers, have been restocked with black 
bass and such other fish as would live in rivers, and the people 
were perfectly delighted, all saying that they were catching large 
quantities of fish. 
We have protected our lake from net-fishing for three years ; 
two years have already passed and we find that all kinds of fish 
are increasing. The two hundred black bass we got of you five 
or six years ago have increased wonderfully, and also the rock- 
bass. I don’t believe there isa lake in the state of New York 
where a man can have better sport in fishing than in Otsego lake. 
We shall always point with pride to such men as yourself, Hon. 
Horatio Seymour and R. B. Roosevelt, who have spent their 
lives in this great enterprise and made it a grand success. 
I remain as ever your friend, 
AW EEN Rs 
fish Committee. 
Mr. SaAMuEL WiLmotT, of New Jersey, the oldest shad fisher- 
man on the Hudson, being present, gave his views on the destruc- 
tion of the shad in the river. 
Mr. Hucw D. McGovern submitted a paper on the curious 
habits of eels: 
Though there has been much said about the eel by eminent 
men, such as Professor J. J. Beard and our worthy President, 
Hon. R. B. Roosevelt, I cannot refrain from mentioning some 
facts which have come within the knowledge of our absent 
friend and associate, one of the editors of the Chicago Field, Mr. 
Fred. Mather, and myself. 
On the 2nd day of June, 1879, Iinvited Mr. Mather to take a 
trip on Long Island, with a view to capturing a few trout which 
inhabit our island waters. 
We took it leisurely, not being very successful, and walked 
along the banks of Spring Creek, a small stream in the township 
of Jamaica, which empties into Jamaica Bay. We continued 
along the creek until reaching the conduit of the Brooklyn 
