19 



will undoubtedly run to the river the first sicrn of breaking up, as they are 

 strictly river fish, although we had a nice lot in the lake, right along, and I 

 have evidence of their spawning there last year. 



We see a few right along while seining. This season has bees the most 

 peculiar both as regards water and fish I ever experienced. No fish taken 

 anywhere to what there usually is. 



ILLEGAL SIZED FISH. 



As before noted, our wardens in Chicago have taken large quanti- 

 ties of fish from the dealers which fell below the specified legal size, 

 and to the credit of the dealers we can say that, as a rule, they have 

 voluntarily surrendered such fish. These fish were turned over to 

 the various charitable institutions of Cook county from whose offi- 

 cials the wardens take a proper receipt for them, and in turn the 

 wardens give their receipts to the dealers. 



Our warden, Mr. G. W. Glynn, reports 50 barrels thus disposed of, 

 and Mr. G. R. Ratto probably collected and dispensed as many more, 

 in a similar manner. This mode of procedure has had very much to 

 do with the decrease of shipment of illegal sized fish to Chicago 

 markets. 



Our instructions to our wardens have always been to notify all 

 dealers having small fish in their possession that they must not be 

 offered for sale, and to make arrests only when efPorts to sell were 

 persistent. 



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 



We desire to acknowledge our indebtedness to the various railroad 

 managements of the State for their courtesy and liberality. The 

 assistance they have rendered us in the transportation of our fish for 

 distribution has enabled us to make the distribution as extensive as 

 it was. Only courteous treatment has been accorded us by the man- 

 agement and officials with whom we have come in contact. We are 

 under special obligations to the following roads: Chicago, Burling- 

 ton & Quincy railroad, Wabash railroad, Illinois Central railroad, 

 Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad, Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis 

 railroad, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, Chicago, Elgin & 

 Eastern railroad, Wabash, Chester & Western railroad, Toledo, 

 Peoria & Western railway, Fulton County Narrow Guage railway, 

 Peoria & Eastern (Big Four) railroad. 



During the past two seasons, as for many previous ones, the 

 United States Fish Commission has placed us under obligations for 

 the use of its cars and messengers, and for valuable assistance in 

 other ways, and we desire to express our appreciation of their aid. 

 The U, S, commissioner is doing great work and shows a wonderfully 

 practical administration in the operation of his department. 



To the press of the State are we also greatly indebted. They have 

 always been ready to help us when publicity regarding our work 

 would be of interest to the public. 



