10 



motion through the water, the mud is washed from the seine, and 

 the fish are sorted out, such as are wanted for distribution are put 

 into the live-box -which is a kind of cage made of slats, through 

 which the water runs— and the residue taken to the river or near- 

 est deep water and turned inco it. After the live boxes have been 

 filled the fish are carried in large cans to the river and placed in 

 storage live-boxes, and in them are either floated or towed to the 

 point of shipment, where they are loaded on cars and transported 

 to place of deposit. 



This mode, however, only applies to the ponds of large area, 

 where more than one haul of the seine is necessary. Frequently, 

 a pond is cleaned out by one haul, in which case what is called 

 an "end-haul" is made, the pond having first been cleaned as be- 

 fore described. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The fish used for purpose of distribution, selected from those 

 saved from drying pools along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, 

 were of the best varieties, consisting chiefly of black bass, crappie, 

 wall-eyed pike, war-mouth bass, white bass and spotted cat-fish. 

 They were all of good size and a large proportion of them spawners. 



In a number of instances the plants were made to restore a va- 

 riety practically extinct in the stream thus planted; this was nota- 

 bly the case in Fox Lake, where the spotted cat-fish was planted,- 

 and we are pleased to report that a number of this variety have 

 been taken this season (18lM) from Fox river, at different points, 

 which show a very satisfactory growth. 



The earlier part of the seas(m of 189J: was rather unsatisfactory, 

 as regards our work, owing to the extreme heat and drouth. It 

 was very diflicult to retain fish for any length of time in live- 

 boxes, the water in the Illinois river itself showing a temperature, 

 several times, of 90 degrees, and the water from which the fish 

 were taken being of a much higher temperature. Transportation 

 of the fish was also a diflicult matter during the warmest months. 

 The demand for fish has been very large, and a great man}' pri- 

 vate ponds and lakes have been supplied, while there still reaiains 

 a large number of applicants to be supplied later. 



The value of the distribution of native food fishes of the State, 

 taken from the shallow ponds and sloughs, has been more forci- 

 bly demonstrated during the last season than ever b-fore. From 

 several causes, the supply of fish in inland waters has suffered 

 greatly. A number of seasons of extremely low water has pre- 

 vented the usual run of fish from main rivers, and the supply in 

 smaller streams and inland lakes subject to overflow has been 

 limited to what the waters produced locally, or what the Commis- 

 sion has been able to furnish. The drain on lakes and streams 

 by use of rod and line, alone, is severe, but when the unlawful 

 use of seines and nets is added, it results, in many instances, in 

 the depletion of the waters. 



