118 



Second Annual Be:pokt of the 



34,849 Pheasants 



20,387 Scotch grouse 



46,117 European black game 



66.357 " " plover 



45,214 red-legged partridge 



36,879 " quail 



Making a total of 339,297 birds tagged by the importation 

 agents of this division. In addition, 3,556 carcasses of imported 

 deer were tagged at the port of Xew York. 



I am pleased to call your attention to the increased output of 

 pheasants and eggs from the State Game Bird Farm at Sher- 

 burne. In 1910 there were 1,478 birds and 6,470 eggs; in 1911, 

 2,232 birds and 11,325 eggs; in 1912, 3,409 birds and 12,681 eggs. 

 This increase has been brought about entirely by efficient manage- 

 ment and without additional appropriation. Interest in the prop- 

 agation of pheasants under the direction of the Commission has 

 taken a firm hold upon the sportsmen of the State, and nothing il- 

 lustrates this better than the fact that during the year 1912 there 

 were 28,261 pheasants and 12<6,361 eggs applied for. Our single 

 game farm under the most favorable conditions cannot supply 

 beyond 30,000 eggs and 5,000 birds. The widespread sentiment 

 in favor of additional game farms is reflected in these applica- 

 tions. Reports from all parts of the State, had through the game 

 protective force, show a substantial increase in the supply both 

 of birds and quadrupeds, owing in a large degree to the enforce- 

 ment of the laws relative thereto. 



In the Bureau of Fish Culture the work of the nine hatch- 

 eries in operation has resulted in a larger output than in any 

 previous year. The number of species of aquatic animals propa- 

 gated' and distributed was 39, including sturgeon, salmon of all 

 kinds, trout of half dozen species, whitefish, lake herring, frost- 

 fish, shad, river herring, smelt, muskalonge, pike-perch, black 

 bass, sea bass, scup, tom-cod, flatfish, lobsters and blue crab. The 

 marine work is limited to Long Island, which has more than 

 one-half of all the species of fish of the State and is particularly 

 rich in those kinds which can be propagated artificially. In 1912 

 the Long Island station and its auxiliaries furnished more than 

 400,000,000 of fish for distribution. The peculiar advantages 



