FISHERIES, BY STATES. 



117 



food fishes in 1908, and its value formed 8 per cent of 

 the total value of products. Buffalo fish are taken in 

 all districts, but 90 per cent of the catch in 1908 was 

 from the Mississippi River district. The yield of buf- 

 falo fish decreased in quantity, but a recovery in prices 

 arrested the decrease in the value of the catch. Buffalo 

 fish are taken principally with seines and fyke nets. 

 The product for 1894, 1899, and 1908 is shown below: 



Catfish. — Catfish was fourth in importance, and the 

 product for 1908 and prior years is shown in the next 

 column. 



Black lass. — Black bass is a valuable food fish that 

 is taken chiefly in the Mississippi River district. 

 Nearly one-half of the catch is by seines. That there 

 has been a notable increase in the quantity caught is 

 shown by the following tabular statement: 



Table 1.— ILLINOIS— FISHERY PRODUCTS: 1908. 



1 Includes apparatus, with catch, as follows: Crowfoot dredges, etc., 39,809,000 pounds, valued at $55,000; traps, 19,000 pounds, valued at $20,000; dip nets, 35,000 pounds, 

 valued at $1,800; spears, 68,000 pounds, valued at $1,800; pound nets, 32,000 pounds, valued at $1,200; fish baskets and traps, 13,000 pounds, valued at $400; firearms, 600 

 pounds, valued at $100; and minor apparatus, 24,000 pounds, valued at $6,700. 



2 Less than $100. 6 s $°° skins. 



s Less than 100 pounds. * 50,000 skins. 



» Includes 1,300 pounds of caviar and sturgeon eggs, valued at $800. 



