14 



F. Ellis to thin State to distribute them under the direction of the 

 State Fish Commission, which was accomplished, by placinj,' them 

 as follows : 



Okaw River 8,000 



Saline River 2,000 



Little Wabash Eiver 2,0(X) 



Jiig Muddy River 2,000 



Sangamon River 2,000 



Clear Lake 500 



Illinois River < 5,000 



Rock River 2,000 



Fox River 2,000 



Kankakee River 3,000 



Lincoln Park lakes, Chicago 1,600 



South Park lakes, Chicago 1,000 



Des Plaines River 1,000 



Eeservoir Illinois C. E. R., Clinton 2U0 



C.-, B. & Q. reservoir, Mendota 200 



Edwards Eiver 1,000 



Quincy Bay 2,000 . 



This, with a supplementary shipment, was the gift of the United 

 States Commission to the State of Illinois, as well as the expense 

 of the car and crew, engaged in the distribution. Car came into 

 the State over the Indianapolis and St. Louis R. R. to Yandalia, 

 from which point fish for Okaw, iiig Muddy, Saline and Little Wa- 

 bash Eivers were sent by express. Car came over Illinois Central 

 E. E. to Spriogtield, where the Sangamon River and Clear Lake 

 were stocked, car laying over there one day. From Springfield via 

 Illinois Central E. R. to Clinton, where the reservoir was stocked. 

 Thence to LaSalle, where plant for Illinois Eiver was made. From 

 there to Mendota, stocking the C, B. & Q. E. E. reservoir. From 

 Mendota the fish for Eocl^ Eiver were sent to Dixon. Car then went 

 over C, B, & Q. E. E. to x\urora, planting Fox Eiver. Then to 

 Naperville for the Des Plaines Eiver, reaching Chicago at night. 

 From Chicago fish were sent to Kankakee for Kankakee Eiver. 

 Lakes in Lincoln and South Parks were supplied from Chicago. 



Of this planting we have not as yet had any report, but that 

 carp will thrive in our rivers, has, we think, been demonstrated be- 

 yond a question. About Sept. 10, 1836, Messrs. Schrali & Boles, of 

 Meredosia, telegraphed to the writer, at Quincy, that they had 

 caught a large carp in the Illinois Eiver near Meredosia, that it 

 was alive, and if we wanted it to send for it. I at once sent a 

 message and case for it. On its arrrival, I found it to be a mirror 

 carp, measuring 30;^ inches in length, and weighing 15.V pounds. 

 The week following another telegram arrived from the same source, 

 telling of another large carp, which, upon arrival here, proved to 

 be almost identically of same siza and weight as the "other, 

 weighing one-half pound more, and about same length. Both tish 

 are now in the ba^in of the park fountain at Qnincy, and have 

 grown quite perceptibly since their arrival. These fish, no doubt, 

 had escaped from some ponds connected with some stream tribu- 

 tary to tlie Illinois River, and perhaps by the carrying away of thfr 

 dam to carp pond, during a freshet, the fish became liberated and 



