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SS a_i 
TENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 9 
their waters have been stocked by the New York State Fish 
Commission. My efforts were attended with great success; I 
made several large catches, and taught many others how to do 
so. The effect will be to stop illegal modes of taking fish to a 
great extent in our inland waters. When the people learn that 
they have a fish barrel at their door, and can take a fish dinner 
in a short time, when they feel so disposed, they will see to it 
that the laws are enforced. 
I learned during my investigations that the alewives breed in 
our inland lakes. This I consider a very valuable discovery. As 
‘fish food their value is inestimable, and all our lakes can be 
stocked with them. They are much more valuable than the fresh 
water herring, for the reason that they spawn in the spring and 
the eggs hatch in afew days. Whereas, the herring cast their 
spawn in the fall and are all winter in hatching, and conse- 
quently a much larger percentage of them is destroyed. The 
alewife hatches at a low estimate one hundred and fifty young 
fry for every one of the herring. It would be an impossibility 
to overstock any waters containing the alewives for food, and 
the fish found in the waters containing them are in the best pos- 
sible condition. I hope to be able to stock several of our lakes 
with the alewife during the coming summer. This winter has 
been unusually severe and the ice has formed toa great thick- 
ness, and snow has fallen upon it to a considerable depth. In 
all small bodies of water, unless air holes are cut, there is always 
great mortality among the fish, caused by stagnation and lack of 
oxygen. Many of our larger inland lakes that do not usually 
freeze entirely over have this season been covered in some in- 
stances with ice two feet in thickness. While this would not 
materially affect the fish in ordinary winters where this is of 
short duration, I am of the, opinion that where it has extended 
over a period of several months a great many fish will be de- 
stroyed by suffocation. 
Waters can easily be depleted in this way to a great extent 
and no one ever be the wiser, for, contrary to the general opinion 
that all fish float when dead, my experience is that not one in 
_ ten ever comes to the top of the water. 
