QQ wiscoKSiisr academy sciexces, aets, and letters. 



From careful investigation, it is evident that the first and prin- 

 cipal means is artificial propagation, with judicious protective laws 

 as an anxiliary. 



The State commissions have given special attention to propaga- 

 tion, with the most encouraging results. The shad, in the Con- 

 necticut River, where they had been nearly exterminated, are now 

 more plentiful than in the period of 70 previous years. Last sea- 

 son there was a large increase in the Hudson River, the result of 

 the successful work of Seth Green, three yeavs, ago. In Canada, 

 Samuel Wilniot, the government breeder, has restored the salmon 

 in large numbers. Experiments have been made b}^ three promi- 

 nent fish culturists in the propagation of the white-fish, and their 

 eSorts are now crowned with complete success. Mr. N. W. Clark, 

 of Clarkston, has carried three-quarters of a million of eggs be- 

 yond the stage of danger, and Seth Green has a large quantity 

 hatched and is distributing them to inland lakes in large numbers. 

 Seth Green has been equally successful with lake-trout. 



The advantage of artificial culture is in the fact, that almost the 

 entire number of eggs are hatched, while in a state of nature, but a 

 very small proportion are hatched. This is especiallly true in the 

 lakes, where there are so many species of fish who make the ova of 

 fishes their food, and where the continual stormy weather, at cer- 

 tain seasons, carries the sediment from the clay-banks, outward, 

 and deposits it on the spawning beds. 



A bill has passed in the State of Michigan, providing for a fish 

 commission and making an appropriation for the expenses of their 

 work. 



The State of Michigan has enacted that: 



'Tt shall be the duty of the governor, to appoint three commis- 

 sioners of fisheries, whose terms of office shall be, respectively, two 

 four, and six years, and their successors appointed, two years there- 

 after." 



(As I cannot follow the detail of the bill, from memory, I will 

 give the character of the different sections.) 



The duties of the commissions were provided for in the second sec- 

 tion /. e., to propagate white-fish, and such other food-fishes as they 

 saw fit, providing for two breeding-establishments, one in the eastern 

 and one in the western portion of the State. 



The third section provides that they should have the privilege of 



