22 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



any waters not inhabited by trout, lake trout, salmon trout, or land-locked salmon." 

 Eels are notorious spawn eaters, and as such seriously interfere with the propagation 

 of better food fishes by natural processes, and if the Commissioners had power to set 

 eel baskets in waters containing salmonid<z for the purpose of taking eels that come on 

 to the spawning beds to eat the spawn of trout, it would aid materially in minimizing 

 the devastation from this cause. 



The Commissioners feel that they must in the future discourage the planting of 

 German carp in any of the waters of the State that may contain other fish. It is no 

 more desirable as a food fish than the common sucker, and instead of being a strict 

 vegetarian, as was heralded when introduced from Europe, it has been convicted of 

 eating spawn and the fry of better fish. 



There is a colony of beaver near the Adirondack hatchery, probably the only one 

 in this State, and if this rare animal, supposed to have become extinct in New York, 

 is to be preserved, there is urgent necessity for the enactment of a law to protect them 

 at all seasons. During the past year a beaver of this colony was killed, and then it 

 was found that there was no law for their protection. 



By every means in our power we would encourage the formation of fish and game 

 protective associations in every county and town in the State. Already many societies 

 of this kind have been organized, and they are not only public educators of the objects 

 and aims of fish and game laws, and supporters of this Commission in its work, but they 

 do much to enforce the laws and stand as a menace to law breakers in the communities 

 where they exist. The observance of fish and game laws is largely a matter of educa- 

 tion ; the first lessons were most difficult to learn, but great strides have been made in 

 this direction during the past ten years, and the fish and game associations should have 

 full credit for their share in it. 



The Commissioners desire to thank the railroads of the State for their unfailing 

 courtesy in handling the State fish car and transporting fish cans and attendants free. 

 Nearly every railroad in the State has rendered this aid freely when called upon so to 

 do; but we are especially indebted to the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, the 

 New York, Ontario and Western Railroad, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 

 Railroad, the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad, and the New York Central 

 and Hudson River Railroad, as they are more nearly connected with the hatcheries of 

 the State. 



We also wish to extend our thanks to the United States Fish Commission for 

 continued and generous contributions of fish eggs, fry and adult fish, the contribution 

 this year amounting to over 11,000,000 of eggs and fish of various kinds. 



That the people of the State may have a better understanding of the extent of shell- 

 fish culture practiced in the waters of New York, a census has been compiled which 



