96 Fish, Fishing and Fisheries of Pennsylvania. 



the slightest evidence of diminution in their numbers, save such as can 

 be readily traced to the deadly fish-basket and other illicit contrivances 

 for catching and killing them. 



"They insist that as far as the Susquehanna and Delaware are con- 

 cerned, the minnows destroyed by the bass are those which depredate 

 upon the spawn of the shad and the perch, or wall-eyed pike. More- 

 over, they contend that if the rivers were depopulated of minnows, it 

 would pay the state handsomely to hatch shad largely for the special 

 purpose of supplying food for the bass. 



"Prom this it will be seen that this fish may not be as black as it is 

 painted. Stronger evidence than has yet been presented is wanted by 

 the board before determining what course shall be pursued." 



About this time a gentleman residing on the Susquehanna, a very 

 strong friend of the black bass, came forward in defense in a letter to 

 the Board of Fish Commissioners. In it he says: 



"There is a very decided increase of the native salmon, pike-perch, or 

 wall-eyed pike, in this river. Last year (1878) hundreds were taken, 

 averaging a foot in length and about three-fourths of a pound in weight. 

 This increase is accounted for by the fact that the bass destroyed the 

 small fish that preyed upon the eggs of the pike. If the laws now on 

 the statute books against fish-baskets and nets are enforced, these fish, 

 which grow to a weight of ten pounds, will naturally increase. Until 

 that is done, there is no room for the hope that there ever will be a 

 material improvement in the product. Last fall, at the dam below 

 Sunbury, there was taken out in a single night, by one of those infernal 

 machines and seines, no less than fourteen hundred pounds of bass and 

 salmon. In other parts of the main river, and in the Juniata, the aver- 

 age catch of each basket at night, when the water was about three feet 

 above the ordinary height, was at least fifty young salmon, about twelve 

 inches in length." 



Another gentleman reported to the board that he had seen two 

 bushels of young bass taken from a single basket in one night. Another, 

 that a man of his acquaintance fed five bushels of young bass to his 

 hogs in less than one week. 



Yet, at the session of the legislature concluded this year, there were 

 men who came to the members and claimed that no fish protective laws 

 were needed, and asked that the iniquitous fish-baskets be legally re- 

 stored to the rivers. 



That whatever fall off there was in the supply of black bass, was due 

 almost entirely to fish-baskets and other illegal devices for catching 

 them, was soon after abundantly demonstrated. By vigorous measures 

 the Delaware river was cleared of all fish-baskets and traps, but such a 

 laudable result did not follow similar efforts in the Susquehanna. 

 Almost immediately the catches in the former stream began sensibly to 



