226 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



tion, indiscriminate stocking wall eventually lead to considerable loss. 



Extensive hatchen- production increases rather than decreases this 

 error, which can be remedied only by a systematic method of stock- 

 ing based on an accurate knowledge of the waters to be stocked." 

 Referring to prehminary surveys begun three years before, the 

 report says : " This preliminary stud\- by no means completes the 

 problem. Succeeding it should come more careful and detailed 

 work, designed to increase ultimately the supply of food and game 

 tish by ( I ) a study of the food, growth, spawning and habits of the 

 ditterent species of fish inhabiting various waters; {2) the determi- 

 nation of the species best adapted to certain classes of waters by an 

 experimental study of r\'pe waters. There are, therefore, two parts : 

 first, the preliminary- general work, consisting of an extensive 

 biological sur^-ey of the waters in regard to their general conditions 

 to form a guide for future stockings, and a classification of these 

 streams and ponds into certain groups, according to the similarity 

 of the natural en-\nronment ; sa:ond, an intensive stud}* of various 

 type waters, representing the groups above mentioned, as regards 

 the effects of the natural conditions upon fish life. In such bodies 

 of water records of temperatures, amount of food (plankton) and 

 general changes which concern the problem of fish hfe should be 

 followed for a number of years. The work of these tv^pe waters 

 should sei^-e as a basis for interpreting the conditions in other 

 waters of similar nature." (Public Doc. No. 25, 1916, p. 86.) 



For a good many years physiographical and biological surveys of 

 inland or fresh waters of various parts of the country have been 

 made for one purpose or another by the United States Fish Com- 

 mission, now the Bureau of Fisheries. With the establishment of 

 the Fairport Biological Station in 1908 on the Mississippi River. 

 the Bureau began a definite program of investigation of these inland 

 waters ( Coker, 'i6j. 



Also, from time to time, the zoological departments of some of 

 the state universities and colleges, have cooperated with various 

 state departments, or even indi^-idual professors have independently 

 undertaken such work, and the results of their studies have been 

 published. Thus in Illinois, Forbes. Kofoid, Richardson. Shelford 

 and others : in ^^'isconsin, Birge. Marsh. Juda}- and Pearse : in 

 Michigan. Reighard. Ward, Hanldnson and others ; and in Indiana. 

 Eigenmann, Evermann, Scott and others, liave given much atten- 

 tion to investigations of fresh water biology- which have a direct or 

 indirect bearing upon fish ctdture. 



In Xew York State. Xeedham. his associates and students, Betten. 

 Johannsen. Clemens and others, working originally through the 

 State Entomologist's Ortice and the Xew York State College of 

 Agriculture at Cornell University-, have given much attention to life 

 histon- studies of aquatic insects and to fresh water biolog}- in 

 general. 



