natural causes, the carrying off of the snows and rains, and was kept 

 up to abnormal height by the influx of water from Lake Michigan 

 through the drainage canal. The result to us was a great scarcity of 

 small fish at the time when they were usually found in the low flat 

 ponds and lakes along the Illinois river. The water was high 

 enough early in season to allow the adult fish to go out into the shal- 

 low lakes and spawn, but the usual conditions were completely 

 changed, and instead of having the product of the numerous tem- 

 porary ponds and lakes which the falling water leaves easy of access 

 for collection, the river kept up and out of its banks and gave the fry 

 plenty of time to grow large enough to go out into the deeper water, 

 the river and deep lakes, before the water receded, and then, when it 

 did go down, the ponds were left filled mainly with adult fish, so that 

 the work was delayed until late in the season and the greater part of 

 the output had to be of adult fish. 



This, however, has its advantages, as it will be the means of add- 

 ing to the river a large number of fish that would otherwise perish in 

 ponds and lakes so remote from the river as to make collection from 

 them impossible, on account of the expense and loss attending the 

 carrying of fish such distances. 



Our work of collecting has been carried on on the same general 

 lines as heretofore, except that with the steamer Reindeer we have 

 the advantage of being able to transport larger quantities and for 

 greater distances than before. Our earlier collection indicate a large 

 increase in the pickerel family, large numbers of the young having 

 been taken early in the season. For several years they have not 

 been seen in the river in any large numbers. 



We are glad to say that the young of the dog fish have not been 

 so plentiful, partly on account of a demand for dog fish in some of 

 the markets, and partly owing to their destruction by the market 

 fishermen. 



A large drove of hogs was fed during the whole of the season of 

 1899 on the dog fish which were taken and thrown out on the bank 

 by one gang of fishermen on Clear lake, a lake owned and fished by 

 Mr. John Schulte of Havana, 111. 



The channel catfish show an increase also, but not large. Since 

 the size limit clause of the law was enacted fewer small ones have 

 been taken, more, however, have been brought to market than there 

 is any excuse for. As before stated we noted a slight increase in this 

 variety in our collections, but not what there should have been. 



Now and then we have found a specimen of lake herring in our 

 catch, with an increase of ring perch, which would indicate that an 

 occasional lake fish strays into the river, but the natural conditions 

 necessary to sustain these fishes, particularly the herring, are lacking 

 in our river and lake waters, so that we need not look for any perma- 

 nent addition of this kind in sufficient quantities to excite comment. 



