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change by lowering the temperature of the water in which they are 

 held until it is nearly the same as that in which they are to be placed. 

 As the season advances the water gets low in the ponds from which 

 they are taken, the growth of the fish is very rapid and it is not un- 

 usual to find bass that were spawned in May weighing half a pound 

 and measuring seven inches in October. As the size increases the 

 number that can be transported in a can is of course reduced corres- 

 pondingly, and while we can carry 250 small bass in a ten gallon can 

 in June, we can carry perhaps 50 or 60 in October, and for this reason 

 it makes a very unsatisfactory season when we can not begin work in 

 the shallow waters early, though of course when the rivers remain 

 high and the fish go back into the river, they are not lost, but go to in- 

 crease the local supply of the river. 



Our report elsewhere shows a very good distribution to public 

 waters, though not so good as to private applicants for the past two 

 seasons, owing to the unfavorable conditions existing during the time 

 covered. We have in contemplation the building of a small hatching 

 plant, and obtaining the eggs of the wall-eyed pike and yellow perch 

 from the U. S. Fish Commission. These eggs could be hatched on 

 the Illinois river and utilized for public waters and to help out in our 

 short seasons. The U. S. Commission is very liberal in aid of the 

 various state commissions and working with us have made it possible 

 for us to make muc more extended distribution than we could have 

 made if depending upon the ordinary method of messenger in baggage 

 cars of trains. We have not, however, been able to obtain the use of 

 the U. S. cars easily in either season and in making our first distribu- 

 tion had to depend upon our own messengers, which is both expensive 

 and unsatisfactory, in trying to cover so large a territory. The best 

 results are noted from the plants of former seasons, and the interest 

 in private reservoirs and ponds is constantly increasing. The fish taken 

 for distribution covers but a limited portion of the fish taken 

 from the shallow ponds and lakes. As before stated the game fishes 

 are only about 15 per cent of the whole taken and whenever it can be 

 done and save the fish those not used for distribution are taken to the 

 river or nearest deep water. 



All fish used would, if left where they are found, perish during the 

 season either by drying up of ponds or freezing out in winter, so that 

 as a rule all localities worked are the gainer by a large number of food 

 fish rescued from these ponds and lakes. We cannot make anything 

 like and accurate estimate of amount so saved. 



Black bass distributed to public waters during season of 1904-1905 : 



Public Waters. County. Number. 



Kankakee river Will 500 



Mackinaw river McLean 500 



Sangamon river Sangamon 600 



Wood river Madison 500 



Macoupin creek Greene 400 



Sangamon river .Menard 1,000 



Vermilion river Livingston 350 



Rock river Rock Island 600 



Mississippi river Grafton 1,000 



