the interests of the State they may be favorably considered, and 

 that the necessity for an increased appropriation to meet the de- 

 mands of the largely increased work may be felt and appreciated. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



We desire to acknowledge our obligations to the United States 

 Fish Commission for the very liberal and courteous treatment re- 

 ceived at the hands of the Commissioner of Fisheries, Professor 

 Spencer F. Baird, and his assistant. Major Ferguson, and Colonel 

 M. McDonald, Chief of Division of Distribution. 



They have liberally supplied us with young carp, giving us the 

 use of the car for their transportation, both for those mtended for 

 individual distribution and those intended for public waters. They 

 have shown at all times an appreciation of the wants of our State 

 and aided us to meet them. 



We cannot speak too highly of the value of that part of the 

 economy of our government, and the benefit resulting- from their work 

 cannot properly be estimated. Thousands of ponds, millions of pounds 

 of food, easily produced from places heretofore considered worth- 

 less, are the outgrowth of the investigations and experiments organ- 

 ized and carried out to a successful completion by Prof. Baird and 

 his assistants, and Illinois has shared largely, among other States, 

 the benefit accruing from such work. Prof. S. A. Forbes has, as 

 will be seen, furnished us the material for one of the most satis- 

 factory portions of our report — the list of fishes native to the State, 

 properly classified and arranged, and the papers treating of their 

 food. From a scientific standpoint it is of great value, and we take 

 pride ni referring to it. Prof. Forbes has placed the Commission 

 under obligations for repeated courtesies, and has at all times 

 shown a willingness to aid us in any way- possible. 



The railroads have, as is usual with them, treated us with great 

 liberality, and we are very sure that without their aid our work 

 must have been greatly curtailed. Our requests have been frequent, 

 but, with few exceptions, have been promptly granted. We desire 

 to make special mention of the following roads : 



Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Piailroad Co. 

 Chicago and Alton Railroad Co. 

 Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Eailroad Co. 

 Illinois Central Railroad Co. 

 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Co. 

 Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Co. 

 Chicago, Milwaukee and S,t. Paul Railroad Co. 

 Louisville, New Albany and Chicago Railroad Co. 

 Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Co. 

 Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad Co. 

 Louisville, Evansville and St. Louis Railroad Co. 

 Peoria, Decatur and Evansville Railroad Co. 

 Louisville and Nashville Railroad Co. 

 Jacksonville Southeastern Railway Co. 

 <^hicago and St. Louis Railroad Co. 

 Cairo, Vincennes and Chicago Line. 



