286 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



where the fish occur naturally or have become established from 

 previous introduction. In planting- fish in waters not previously 

 inhabited by them, assuming- that the waters have been found to 

 have the requisite conditions for grown fish, the first thing to 

 ascertain is the presence of adequate food supply for the young 

 fish. In this case as in the natural waters unless the nature of the 

 food and other requisites of the young of a given species are known, 

 it is better to refrain from planting it until the facts are ascertained. 

 It is more economical and more promising of positive results to 

 investigate first, then plant, than to plant first and then investigate. 

 In other words, plant according to present knowledge; or acquire 

 knowledge, then plant. 



PROPAGATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FISH BY NEW YORK 



STATE 



In 1916 the New York Conservation Commission issued a guide 

 for stocking the inland waters of New York State with food and 

 game fish, entitled " Fish Planting in Public Waters," of which Dr. 

 Bean was the author. Under the heading : " General Principles of 

 Stocking," this pamphlet contains a vei-y valuable discussion con- 

 cerning what may be termed the technique of fish planting. The 

 principal topics are: "Stream Study and Plans: Essential Pre- 

 liminaries " ; " Planting Points and Food Supply " ; " Fry Versus 

 Fingerlings " ; " Care During Transportation " ; " Importance of 

 Water Temperature " ; " Planting " ; " Artificial Stream Pools and 

 Side Pools " ; " Receiving and Rearing Stations." 



Under the heading " Directions for Planting Various Species," 

 the principal fresh-water fishes listed are : " Brook Trout " ; " Rain- 

 bow Trout " ; " Brown Trout " ; " Lake Trout " ; " Landlocked 

 Salmon " ; " Common Whitefish " ; " Round Whitefish or Frost- 

 fish " ; " Lake Erie Herring " ; " Ontario^ or Greenback Herring " ; 

 " Tullibee " ; " Pike Perch " ; " Yellow Perch " ; " Small-mouth Black 

 Bass " ; " Calico Bass " ; " Muskellunge " ; " Smelt " or " Ice-fish." 

 Concerning each of these species the discussion is very brief although 

 the statement concerning the character of places in which to plant is 

 specific. This information concerning some of the species is not based 

 upon actual knowledge and the recommendations are the result of 

 inference rather than investigation. While very much lacking in 

 positive information, the instructions are the best possible to be 

 derived from available existing knowledge. The present writer 

 must confess to inability to add much to what Dr. Bean has said, 

 which only goes to show the need of attaining to a degree of knowl- 

 edge by study of those subjects to render fish planting a rational 

 procedure. 



In the following- paragraphs concerning fish planting no original 

 instructions are attempted. Brief extracts are made from Dr. 

 Bean's directions concerning each species, and an occasional modi- 

 fication or comment is made. 



Since this pamphlet was published Dr. Bean's list of species of fish 



